Czech Republic faces long-term care shortage and infrastructure gap

The Czech Republic is facing a significant shortage in long-term care capacity for seniors. A study by Deloitte for the Association of Social Service Providers indicates that while capacity stood at 76,000 beds in 2024, demand is projected to reach 171,000 by 2035, leaving a massive gap.

To address this, Česká spořitelna plans to invest approximately 450 million euros (11 billion CZK) into elderly care real estate through its subsidiary, Dostupné bydlení. This initiative aims to create roughly 5,000 long-term care places over the next five years, with initial projects focusing on Prague, the Moravian-Silesian Region, and the Liberec Region.

In addition to infrastructure, the sector faces a critical labor shortage. Experts suggest that the workforce must increase by approximately two-thirds over the next decade. Current reliance on foreign workers from Ukraine, the Philippines, and other nations is expected to grow. Some investment funds are already exploring recruitment centers in countries with languages closer to Czech to mitigate communication barriers.