This report has been produced as a feasibility study for the project Long live the elderly. It´s authors, two distinguished researchers in the field of social work, get acquainted with the general conditions for the provision of social and health services in the home environment in the Czech Republic. They provide a brief assessment of the Czech social and health system and describe the possibilities of securing frail people in the need for long-term care in natural conditions. In its special part, the report focuses on availability of social and health services in the territory of Prague 7, taking into account the number of their potential beneficiaries, as well as the opportunities for their interconnection. Potential barriers in access to these services are discussed. Finally, the report points out prospects for further development in this area.
Although the offer of health and social services is rather varied and complete, a number of issues and challenges have been identified, that must necessarily be addressed in the near future. In particular, it is necessary to coordinate health and social services at a professional level in accordance with the needs of a particular client. Attention has to be drawn to maximizing support for informal caregivers. On the other hand, the system of service itself offers a wide range of opportunities for future development. One of them is the promotion of volunteering, in which active, healthy seniors can play the role of providers and the fragile seniors can be in the role of beneficiaries.
This report provides a unique analysis of health and social services for frail elderly. it combines a general, national perspective (by describing a legal basis for health and social services) with a local perspective of one district of the city of Prague. All information included in the report represents a well-reasoned and qualified basis for further reflection on possible ways of implementing the project Long-live the elderly in Prague, starting from Prague 7, a well equipped and modern part of the city.
prof. JUDr. Kristina Koldinská, Ph.D.