Along with a lack of modern housing for the general public as well as dormitories for students, the Czech Republic has a serious lack of facilities for dealing with older people and those suffering from dementia. And it’s the last of these that’s among the most worrying, because the number of senior citizens with dementia or Alzheimers, already estimated at 160,000 is expected to double by the year 2050. Waiting times for specialized facilities are as long as two years, as the existing ones often have lists with hundreds of names on them, according to the Association of of Social Services Providers (APSS). It estimates that 90,000 places in senior homes are needed along with 38,000 places specialized centers, but that the current capacity is barely half that number. “The real number of senior suffering from dementia is around 6,000 according to our estimates,” said Jiří Horecký, APSS president.
