In Pilsen, a home for people with Alzheimer’s disease has opened

source: dsplzen.cz

Plzeň - A significant demand for specialized facilities providing care for people with Alzheimer's disease may be alleviated in Plzeň by a newly opened home with 142 beds. In the Slovany district, near the former paper mill on the banks of the Radbuza River, it was built by a private investor, KRPA Holding CZ, for 112 million crowns, said the company's chairman Jaroslav Jiřička to ČTK. The home will be operated by Anavita, which currently has seven facilities in the Czech Republic with 1,000 beds providing all-day specialized care for seniors and people affected by Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia.
While social workers from the city and the region welcome the additional beds that are in demand, the construction of the four-story building has also faced criticism. Some conservationists and architects were concerned that it would partially overshadow the historic buildings of the former paper mill. Additionally, the home is next to the Papírna center, where cultural events are held, including part of the Rock for People festival last year.
According to Anavita's director Jiří Dušek, interest in accommodation at the home, which will have a partially special regime, is high. He noted that up to three-quarters of clients in Anavita's homes consist of individuals with various types of dementia in all stages or with Alzheimer's disease. The average cost for a stay will be around 16,000 crowns per month, depending on the services clients contract in addition to basic care. The facility could employ up to 80 people.
Alena Hynková, head of the social department of the Plzeň magistrate, confirmed to ČTK the shortage of beds with special regimes. According to her, both municipal and charity facilities with special regimes are experiencing a significant excess demand for placements. She estimated that there is a shortage of about one hundred of these beds in Plzeň. How much the new facility will help alleviate this situation will be seen in a few months, she added.
According to the latest data, around 150,000 people with dementia live in the Czech Republic, and this number is projected to exceed 300,000 by the year 2036. Two-thirds of caregiving currently falls on families, and the state expects to provide more support to them. Monthly costs for one dementia patient in the Czech Republic are estimated to be between 30,000 and 50,000 crowns, depending on their dependence on assistance from others and the necessity of healthcare. Only 26 percent of people with dementia utilize outpatient healthcare services, and less than six percent use inpatient healthcare services. Approximately 70 percent of residents in nursing homes and more than 90 percent of residents in facilities with special regimes suffer from dementia.
In the Plzeň region, there are currently 1,667 beds in nursing homes and, including the new home in Plzeň, 923 beds in facilities with special regimes, according to Filip Zapletal, head of the social department of the regional office. Anavita already has a valid registration for the region, Zapletal told ČTK. The regional office, which also establishes social facilities, has 160 beds with special regimes in Mirošov in the Rokycany region, 25 beds in the social services center in Tachov, and 20 beds in Černovice in the Domažlice region, said Zdeněk Honz (ČSSD), councilor for the social area, to ČTK. "It is completely filled, and there are long waiting lists," he stated. Waiting for placement in a facility with a special regime can take up to a year.