Social care infrastructure and policy in Central Europe

The Slovak government has proposed an amendment to the Social Services Act to increase the maximum capacity of certain facilities for seniors and persons with disabilities from 40 to 100 residents. Minister of Labor, Social Affairs and Family Erik Tomáš described the proposal as a compromise supported by regional governments and the Association of Towns and Municipalities of Slovakia. To preserve a community character, the law would mandate that larger facilities operate in separate groups of no more than 20 people, each with dedicated staff and common areas.

The proposal has met opposition from NGOs such as Sociofórum and the initiative ‘Chceme žiť v komunite’ (We Want to Live in the Community). Critics argue the expansion of institutional care contradicts UN recommendations and reduces individual autonomy, advocating instead for community-based support.

Concurrently, regional governments in Slovakia and the Czech Republic are expanding social care infrastructure. In Slovakia’s Prešov Region, a new supported living facility has been completed in Stropkov for 12 clients, alongside modernization efforts in Bijacovce for patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In the Czech Republic’s South Bohemian Region, a new barrier-free residential facility has opened to house 18 residents with combined disabilities or autism spectrum disorders.