Znojmo: The plan for the construction of a retirement home is alive

Znojmo - The people of Znojmo do not give up hope that the nursing home, which was supposed to start construction this year and for which only a zoning decision has been issued so far, will still be built. They aim to secure European funding for the construction of the facility costing 150 million crowns. They will submit the application by the end of March. If the funds come through, construction should begin next year, and the home would be completed by mid-2011, said the city’s deputy mayor, Pavel Balík, to ČTK.
    According to him, the home is necessary for the city. Out of 35,000 residents, 6,000 are of retirement age. Znojmo also has an agreement with the South Moravian Region that people from the surrounding area would also use the new facility.
    There are several nursing homes in the Znojmo region, but many of them are inadequate. They are located in old castle or church buildings that are poorly heated and have unsuitable layouts. For example, in Jevišovice and Božice in the Znojmo region, pensioners are currently accommodated in rooms with eight or more persons. Some people from outdated homes would move to the new facility. Residents of the older homes would then also have more space.
    "The new retirement home should connect to the existing building of the home with a care service and the home for seniors near the municipal forest," said Balík. The current facility has a capacity of about 85 places, but that is not enough. The new home should accommodate an additional 90 people.
    In the South Moravian Region, there are 34 retirement homes, with the region being the founder of 16 of them; in other cases, they are cities, non-profit organizations, and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. There are almost 4,000 beds in retirement homes in the region, but at least as many are needed to meet the demand.