12 Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Analysis of Medium-term and Long-term Plans of Developing Social Services Focusing on the Elderly A. Kajanova (Alena Kajanova), S. Ondrasek (Stanislav Ondrasek) Original Article University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, ISSPS, Czech Republic. E-mail address: [email protected] Reprint address: Alena Kajanova University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, ISSPS J. Boreckeho 1167/27 370 11 Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic Source: Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Pages: 12 – 19 Cited references: 21 Reviewers: Gabriela Lezcano San Francisco, CA, USA Mageswaari Rajoo Bangkok, Thailand Keywords: Quality of Life. Older People. Publisher: International Society of Applied Preventive Medicine i-gap CSWHI 2020; 11(3): 12 – 19; DOI: 10.22359/cswhi_11_3_02 ⓒ Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Abstract: The aim of the article is to analyze medium-term and long-term development plans of social services with a focus on the elderly population.. For the research was used the document analysis method. These were freely accessible documents, specifically medium-term and long-term development plans of social serv - ices in all regions of the Czech Republic. The results of the data analysis were separated into several sections – accommo - dation services, ambulatory services, field services, and other information about related issues. The results show that the re - gions, as part of medium-term and long-term development plans of social services for the elderly, focus on quantitative aspects as increasing the capacities of individual accommoda - Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vo l. 11 N o. 3 2020 Original Articles 13 tion facilities which is logical due to the population aging trend. The analysis also shows that the issue of the elderly is under - stood more as an interdisciplinary issue and the regions focus on prevention, education, as well as on new trends as home care etc. Introduction The community plan is created by the so- Currently, population ageing is one of the called triad, consisting of social services contrac - main issues being addressed by the social poli - tors, providers, and users/clients of social serv - cies not only in the Czech Republic but also in ices (Vaskova & Zezula 2002). Community plan - Europe. According to Horvathova (2016) persons ning is based in the Act # 108/2006 Coll. on So - above the age of 65 make up approximately 8% cial Services. According to this Act, the Min - of the world-wide population. However, demo - istries and the individual regions are obligated to graphic studies suggest that this number will in - create medium-term development plans of Social crease to 18% by 2050. The increasing number Services both on the regional and state-wide lev - of persons in the post-productive age is also con - els. The subsequent cooperation between regions nected to the issue of the number of employed and municipalities is more closely specified in persons decreasing (Pospisil 2014). the Regulation # 387/2017 Coll. which is a reg - The issue of population ageing also influ - ulation changing the Regulation # 505/2006 ences the social services system. Matousek et al . Coll. which includes some provisions of the Act (2012) characterize social services as a form of on Social Services as subsequently amended , assistance that the society offers to the disadvan - namely in §39 which states that the region taged. Social Services can be divided into social processes the medium-term development plan of support, social care and social prevention (Krej - Social Services in cooperation with regional mu - cirova & Treznerova 2011). These are provided nicipalities, representatives of social services, in the form of accommodation, ambulatory, or and representatives of persons who the social field forms (Zatloukal 2008). A number of social services are provided to – the representatives of services is specialized on certain target groups. the users. Such a plan serves also a compulsory Social Services primarily targeted at the elderly amendment to applications for subsidies from the are according to Act # 108/2006 Coll. on Social state budget. Services: „ Daily services centers, day-long or The article is an output of the project # week-long shelters, retirement homes, homes LTC18066 Program INTER-EXCELLENCE, with specific regimes, subsidiary housing, asylum INTER-COST subprogram Social Exclusion of housing, crisis help centers, day-care facilities, the Elderly 65+ Living At Home in the Czech over-night facilities, therapy communities, inter - Republic. vention centers and rehabilitation centers .“ Methodology Community planning is one of the fundamen - tal approaches to creating concepts of social serv - For the research, the document analysis ices in each region or city. Community planning method was used. The analyzed data consists of is characterized as a methodical approach whose existing current medium-term and long-term de - principle is analyzing social conditions, service velopment plans of social services in the regions. authorities, social policies, determining objec - The analysis includes all regions of the Czech tives and priorities, and creating programs pro - Republic. The objective of the article is to ana - viding services. It also implements appropriate lyze medium-term and long-term development resources and evaluates (Zatloukal 2008). Pilat plans of social services in the individual regions (2015) states that community planning is one of of the Czech Republic focusing on the aspect of the most useful development methods and au - providing services to the elderly. thorities of social services of each region since it Results investigates the wishes and needs and according to these provides the most ideal way to meet The results of the data analysis were sepa - these needs. rated into several sections: accommodation servi - Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vo l. 11 N o. 3 2020 14 Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention ces; ambulatory services; field services; other in - hemian Region, Pardubice Region, Pilsen Re - formation about related issues. Accommodation gion, Olomouc Region). Another objective in this and ambulatory services were further analyzed area is transforming accommodation social serv - from the quantitative and qualitative perspec - ices for the elderly into accommodations for the tives. The results are summarized and graphically elderly suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s, shown in the tables below. as well as building new homes with specialized Accommodation services regimes (Zlin Region, Pardubice Region, Pilsen Region). From the qualitative perspective, the The first analyzed area are accommodation Zlin Region plans to focus on involving commu - services for the elderly, see Table 1. From the nity members in the care for the elderly; the Pil - quantitative perspective, regions focus on in - sen Region focuses on education and motivating creasing the capacity of current retirement workers in the social services area; the Moravian- homes, and of other services, as well as on build - Silesian Region focuses on modern trends in el - ing new retirement homes (Prague, Central Bo - derly care. Table 1 Analysis of medium-term and long-term development plans of social services – accommodation services ACCOMMODATION SERVICES Region Quantitative perspective Qualitative perspective Prague increasing the capacity of social services and asylum houses Central Bohemian increasing the capacity of retirement Region homes specializing on dementia and building new retirement homes (RH) Vysocina Region South Bohemian supporting the development Region of already existing RH South Moravia Region Zlín Region transforming current capacities trying to involve the of accommodation services for the community elderly into services for the elderly with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia who need continuous care Hradec Kralove applying for subsidy programs for Region accommodation services from the Ministry of Regional Development (communal housing for the elderly) Pardubice Region increasing the capacity of primarily relief services; transforming retirement homes into homes with specialized regimes Karlovy Vary transforming year-round services Region Pilsen Region building retirement homes with educating and motivating specialized regimes; increasing the social services workers capacity of selected social services Clinical Social Work and Health Intervention Vo l. 11 N o. 3 2020 Original Articles 15 Moravia-Silesia transforming and Region implementing modern trends Olomouc Region building housing for the elderly; building retirement homes for the elderly Usti nad Labem changing care structure (target increasing the transportation Region groups); space for dignified availability of services paying of last respects (in the case of death) Liberec Region increasing the availability optimizing networks of of remote services accommodation services; transforming selected services Source: INTER-COST No LTC18066 Ambulatory and field services vices, financial and time availability, implement - Second area of the services are ambulatory ing social services according to different needs and field services for the elderly, summarized in and specifics for individual social situations of Table 2. From the quantitative perspective, one the elderly, service financing, and engaging vol - of the objectives is increasing the