THE STATUS OF HOMES FOR THE ELDERLY IN THE SYSTEM OF CARE FOR SENIORS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

The article addresses the issue of homes for the elderly, i.e. one of the types of social care facilities in the Czech Republic. The theme of social security for seniors and the role of institutional care in the form of homes for the elderly is a very topical issue, particularly with regard to increasing human age and the associated on-going aging of the population. Demographic aging means a change in the demographic composition of the population in terms of the aging of the entire human population. The solution is to increase the share of young age groups in the overall population. This article aims to analyse social security legislation and social issues relating directly to homes for the elderly in the Czech Republic. Homes for the elderly are a type of social facility that primarily provides residential services for the elderly. In the Czech Republic, the phrase "home for the elderly" has replaced the previously used phrase "retirement homes". The content of this article also includes a historical excursion on the transition from homes for the elderly to homes for the elderly. In 2013, a total of 491 homes for the elderly were registered in the Czech Republic with a total capacity of 38,091 beds. The total number of persons aged 65 and over at the end of 2013 was 1,825,544, which represents more than 17% of the Czech population. This article describes home for the elderly and their activities, and the age composition of the population in the Czech Republic is evaluated. The article also makes a brief comparison with selected European Union countries (Federal Republic of Germany). A method of analysis of Czech and foreign professional literature and legislation is primarily used to fulfil the objectives of this article, and a comparison is made with the Federal Republic of Germany.