Pardubice Region continues to transform institutional residential social care

The Pardubice Region is continuing to transform its institutional residential social care. It is gradually building community housing for clients with mental and combined disabilities with individual assistance according to the needs of the individuals. A new house has been opened for the clients of the Dom u studánky (Home at the Well) in Anenské Studánka in Rudoltice near Lanškroun, the regional administration said in a press release. It cost CZK 42 million, of which CZK 32 million will be covered by a European subsidy.

The aim of the region is to provide residential social services in ordinary housing and to enable the residents of the institutions to live a life as similar as possible to that of their peers. "At present, 566 out of 786 clients in our facilities are already living in community housing," said Pavel Šotola (Coalition for the Pardubice Region), the regional councillor for social care and the non-profit sector.

Some of the houses are designed for clients with a high level of support, others for those who are more independent, and all are wheelchair accessible. The new house in Rudoltice is designed for less mobile people. It has six single rooms and shared bathrooms with lifting assistance.

According to Šotola, the care does not end with moving clients to a new nicer environment. "Many of them have their own privacy, their own room, their own facilities for the first time in their lives. Social workers' practices have also undergone big changes. They respect that they are in someone's home and help them with what they can't do on their own. There is no regime like in an institution," Šotola said. In many cases, this also has a positive effect on the psychological well-being of clients. Some have started to communicate more, others have found that they can manage many things on their own when they have the opportunity, and there are some who go to work part-time.

The transformation of the Home at the Well began in 2016. Clients who needed a low level of support moved into flats. There are now nine clients in five apartments in Česká Třebová who use sheltered housing services. Another 12 people live in a renovated building in Dolní Čermná, where a pleasant community housing for people with disabilities has been created. For nine clients with a high level of dependency, the region reconstructed a building in Anenské Studánka. "There is also great interest in a respite service with four places and in social therapy workshops in Česká Třebová for ten people," said Jitka Beránková, director of the Dom u studánky (Home at the Well).

Houses similar to the one in Rudoltice, which is in an energy-efficient passive standard, should be built for other clients from Anenské Studánka. The roof is covered with vegetation so that it retains water, is fitted with photovoltaic panels and contains a skylight illuminating the main corridor. In addition to the rooms, there are also staff facilities in the house.

Source: CTK