The most commonly used form of care is the nursing home, which offers seniors a combination of independence and affordable assistance. For seniors with higher care needs, a nursing home is the ideal choice. This is because such a home for the elderly offers 24/7 care and includes leisure activities. The conditions for admission to a nursing home vary from municipality to municipality.
Care allowance
Anyone who relies on the help of another person for their daily functioning is entitled to a care allowance. This may be a physically or mentally disabled person or an ageing person with reduced mobility or dementia, which makes them unable to function normally.
The allowance should therefore enable such a person to have their care funded by, for example, a care service or a family member who is often forced to give up their own job to care for the person who is unable to do so.
Grades and amount of allowance
The Civil Code classifies the degree of a person’s dependence on someone else’s care into four levels:
- Light dependence: occurs when a person is unable to perform 3-4 basic life needs. The care allowance is CZK 880 per month.
- Moderate dependence: the person is unable to perform 5-6 basic life needs. The care allowance is 4400 crowns per month.
- Severe dependency: The person is unable to perform 7-8 basic needs of life. The care allowance is 12800 crowns per month.
- Total dependence: the person is unable to perform 9-10 basic needs of life. The care allowance is CZK 19200 per month.
The basic needs of life include: mobility, orientation, communication, eating, dressing and footwear, personal hygiene, performing physiological needs (defecation), health care, personal activities and household care.
How to apply for the allowance
There are two ways to apply for the allowance:
- Online: Either by electronic submission, for which you need a qualified certificate for electronic signature, or via a data box. Completed and signed forms must be sent to the Czech Labour Office.
- Physically: you can also apply in the traditional form. The completed application can then be delivered in person to the regional branch of the Labour Office or sent by post.
What is assessed
After the application is submitted, the person’s condition is assessed and the degree of dependence and the amount of the allowance are determined. First of all, the social aspect is assessed, where the person’s ability to function independently in his or her natural social environment is determined. In addition, the person’s state of health is assessed on the basis of medical reports.
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What to do with the care allowance
If a senior citizen has been awarded a care allowance, there are several options for dealing with it. The best solution is usually care by a loved one. However, this is not realistically possible in many cases, so there are many alternative options for specialist care for the elderly. The allowance can also cover care for the elderly in residential care facilities that offer specialised help.
Day care for the elderly and types of day care
The first group consists of day care for the elderly. Care can be provided in the home or in a facility such as a nursing home. So the senior continues to live either in his or her own home or with a relative, but is visited daily by the person providing the care, or the senior himself or herself goes to the centre where the care is provided. Respite services are an important part of care for the elderly in residential care facilities. Day services include:
Personal assistance
Personal assistance consists of a caregiver going directly to the senior’s home or wherever the senior wants to go. The purpose is to help with normal daily activities and personal care. This can include, for example, running the household, helping with personal hygiene or helping with social contact with the elderly person’s surroundings. In addition, however, personal assistance also includes help with running errands, exercising rights, etc. Personal assistance is usually always provided by the same personal assistant and is not limited in time. It can therefore be continuous or set for any length of time and duration.
Care service
The care service can be provided directly at the elderly person’s home, but also in special social facilities. Just like personal assistance, care services help the senior with daily functioning and managing their affairs. Unlike personal assistance, however, it is provided only during a limited period of time. The care service therefore has set working hours during which it provides care, and there are usually several caregivers taking turns with one senior.
Relief service
Respite services can be outreach, outpatient or residential. Its aim is to enable the person in care to rest. It is therefore a service that stands in for a close carer if they need to go away for a period of time or simply need to rest for a while. The respite service itself then provides the same care as a care service.
Day service centres
In the case of day service centres, the senior is taken (or transported directly by the centre’s special vehicle) to a social facility. They spend time in the centre during the day and go home again in the evening. He or she receives care similar to that provided by a care service. In addition, however, the centres provide all-day meals and offer seniors various activities and programmes, such as health exercises, walks, painting or reading.
Residential care centres
Residential care centres are divided into day and weekly centres. Day boarding consists of seniors going to a social facility every day. Here, basic care is provided, but there is also an emphasis on other activities that provide the senior with not only entertainment but also help with physical and mental health. Unlike day centres, weekly residential homes also provide accommodation, usually during the working week from Monday morning to Friday afternoon. The content is the same or very similar to that of day centres.
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Care for the elderly in residential social facilities and their types
Care for the elderly in residential care facilities includes nursing homes and homes for the elderly. If a senior does not have a close person who can take care of him or her, or if his or her condition is so bad that it is not possible to provide care in a home environment, there is the option of residential social care. A nursing home is a good option for seniors who only need occasional help. The main types include:
Nursing home
These are special apartment buildings owned by municipalities where seniors rent their own barrier-free apartment equipped with their own bathroom and kitchen. At the same time, a nursing service is available to them during dedicated hours. The house usually includes a lounge. This style of accommodation is therefore suitable for elderly people who can at least partially look after themselves. The nursing home sets the conditions to meet the needs of seniors and local regulations.
Home for the elderly
A home for the elderly is also designed for elderly people in poorer health. The nursing service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Seniors are usually accommodated in single rooms (but sometimes in multi-bed rooms) and are provided with a full day’s board. In addition to care, most homes for the elderly also provide a range of leisure and social activities.
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House with special regime
Special care homes are for seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s, senile or other dementia. These homes are adapted to meet their special needs. Therefore, specially trained staff work there and specially designed activities and therapies are available to seniors.
If you have any complaints about care in a nursing home, contact the professionals. For those who require intensive support, a nursing home is often the best solution, but there may still be situations that you may not agree with and where legal representation may be useful.
Summary
With increasing life expectancy and higher ages at starting families, more people are caring for their children and incapacitated parents at the same time. Carer’s Allowance and a wide range of social services are available to help alleviate this challenging situation. The most common include personal assistance, care and respite services, day care centres and residential homes. If care at home is not possible, there are residential facilities such as nursing homes or homes for the elderly, offering support ranging from occasional help to round-the-clock care. The use of the allowance and the choice of appropriate care depends on the individual needs of the elderly person and the possibilities of their environment.
