Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Long-Term Care Reform in Central–Eastern Europe: The Case of the Czech Republic

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Reforms in Long-Term Care Policies in Europe

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of long-term care policies in CEE. The central–eastern European region has seen major social policy reforms over the past 2 decades. Yet, in contrast with major policy reform in other welfare areas, long-term care did not play any prominent role in social policy debates in CEE in the 1990s and into the 2000s. Policy debates and reform efforts toward a more comprehensive public response to long-term care needs only intensified in the new millennium. This chapter investigates the changes to long-care systems in CEE, with a particular focus on the situation in the Czech Republic, the first CEE country to see the establishment of a novel long-term care system in 2006. The analysis covers a time span of more than 2 decades, starting with the transition from communism to market-oriented democratic systems up until today. It outlines the context for long-term care reform in CEE and identifies commonalities and diversities in the development and the status quo of long-term care in this European region. Apart from describing how the long-term care system has developed over that period, the particular focus of the analysis is on identifying the drivers of reform (or nonreform), in studying the importance of key actors involved in reform processes and in analyzing the impact of the reforms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Auth, D. (2010). Welfare states and gender in central and eastern Europe: The current state of research and prospective research. In C. Klenner & S. Leiber (Eds.), Welfare states and gender inequality in central and eastern Europe (pp. 33–55). Brussels: etui.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bareš, P. (2008). Cílové skupiny v krajských střednědobých plánech rozvoje sociálních služeb zpracovaných v období 2006–2007 [Target groups in regional mid-term social services development plans compiled in the period 2006–2007]. Praha: Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barvíková, J. (2011). Long-term care in the Czech Republic: On the threshold of reform. In A. Österle (Ed.), Long-term care in central and south eastern Europe (pp. 81–103). Frankfurt a. M.: Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barvíková, J., & Bartoňová, J. (2005). Příběhy pečujících rodin [The stories of caring families]. Problematika—generace 50 plus. II. mezinárodní konference, Třeboň 6-7 October 2005, Sborník přednášek, Třeboň.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryndová, L., Pavloková, K., Roubal, T., Rokosová, M., & Gaskins, M. (2009). Czech Republic: Health system review. Copenhagen: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cerami, A., & Vanhuysse, P. (2009). Post-communist welfare pathways. Theorizing social policy transformations in central and eastern Europe. Basingstoke: Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cook, L. (2010). Eastern Europe and Russia. In F. G. Castles, S. Leibfried, J. Lewis, H. Obinger, & C. Pierson (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of the welfare state (pp. 671–686). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Daňková, Š., Hrkal, J., Hromádková, E., Roubal, T., & Žofka, J. (2011). Analýza příjemců příspěvku na péči a potenciálních klientů dlouhodobé péče [Analysis of the care allowance beneficiairies and potential long term care clients]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.mpsv.cz/files/clanky/11991/Analyza_prijemcu_Prispevku_na_peci_a_potencialnich_klientu_dlouhodobe_pece.pdf. Accessed 25 Jan 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2007). Health and long term care in the European Union [Special Eurobarometer 283/ Wave 67.3]. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2009). The 2009 ageing report: Economic and budgetary projections for the EU-27 Member States (2008–2060) [Joint report prepared by European Commission (DG ECFIN) and the Economic Policy Committee (AWG)]. Brussels: European Commission.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eurostat. (2008). Ageing characterises the demographic perspectives of the European societies (Statistics in Focus 72/2008). Brussels: European Communities.

    Google Scholar 

  • Flaker, V., Kresal, B., & Nagode, M. (2011). Needs and beads: The emerging long-term care system of Slovenia. In A. Österle (Ed.), Long-term care in central and south eastern Europe (pp. 189–212). Frankfurt a. M.: Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gulácsi, L., Érsek, K., & Mészáros, K. (2011). Long-term care in Hungary: Between health and social care. In A. Österle (Ed.), Long-term care in central and south eastern Europe (pp. 105–122). Frankfurt a. M.: Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoff, A. (Ed). (2011). Population ageing in central and eastern Europe. Societal and policy implications. Aldershot: Ashgate

    Google Scholar 

  • Holmerová, I. (2007). Supporting family carers of older people in Europe. The national background report for the Czech Republic. Hamburg: LIT Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Horecký, J. (2010). Long term care in the Czech Republic. Comment Paper for the peer review—Achieving quality long term care in residential facilities. Murnau, 18–19 October 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huber, M., Rodrigues, R., Hoffmann, F., Gasior, K., & Marin, B. (2009). Facts and figures on long-term care: Europe and North America. Vienna: European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research.

    Google Scholar 

  • Inglot, T. (2008). Welfare states in east central Europe, 1919–2004. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Jenei, G., & Kuti, É. (2009). The third sector and civil society. In S. Osborne (Ed.), The third sector in Europe: Prospects and challenges (pp. 9–25). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klenner, C., & Leiber, S. (Eds.). (2010). Welfare states and gender inequality in central and eastern Europe. Brussels: etui.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kovács, J. M. (2002). Approaching the EU and reaching the US? Rival narratives on transforming welfare regimes in east-central Europe. West European Politics, 25(2), 175–204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marée, J., & Groenewegen P. P. (1997). Back to Bismarck: Eastern European health care systems in transition. Aldershot: Avebury.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2001). Základní ukazatele z oblasti práce a sociálního zabezpečenív České republice ve vývojových řadách a grafech 2000 [Basic indicators of labour and social protection in the Czech Republic – Time series and graphs 2000]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2003). Bílá kniha v sociálních službách [White Paper on social services]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2005a). Důvodová zpráva k zákonu o sociálních službách [Explanatory report on the Social Services Bill]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2005b). Preliminary national report on health care and long term care in the Czech Republic. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2006a). National report on strategies for social protection and social inclusion for years 2006–2008. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2006b). Koncepce podpory transformace pobytových sociálních služeb v jiné typy sociálních služeb, poskytovaných v přirozené komunitě uživatele a podporujících sociální začlenění uživatele do společnosti [Concept of supporting residential social services transformation into different social services types provided in the user’s natural community and supporting user’s social inclusion in the society]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2007). Základní ukazatele z oblasti práce a sociálního zabezpečení v České republice ve vývojových řadách a grafech 2006 [Basic indicators of labour and social protection in the Czech Republic – Time series and graphs 2006]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2008). Kvalita života ve stáří. Národní program přípravy na stárnutí na období let 2008–2012. [Quality of life in old age. National programme of preparation for ageing for 2008–2012]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Retrieved from http://www.mpsv.cz/files/clanky/5045/starnuti_cz_web.pdf. Accessed 3 Jan 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2011a). Věcný záměr zákona upravujícího řešení dlouhodobé péče [The general principle of law regulating the long term care solution]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs [MoLSA]. (2011b). Základní ukazatele z oblasti práce a sociálního zabezpečení v České republice ve vývojových řadách a grafech, 2010 [Basic indicators of labor and social protection in the Czech Republic—time series and graphs, 2010]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Možný, I., Přidalová, M., Bánovcová, L., & Pakosta, P. (2004). Mezigenerační solidarita. Výzkumná zpráva z mezinárodního srovnávacího výzkumu—Hodnota dětí a mezigenerační solidarita [Research information from international comparative research—value of children and intergenerational relationship]. Praha: Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nemec, J., & Kolisnichenko, N. (2006). Market-based health care reforms in central and eastern Europe: Lessons after ten years of change. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 72(1), 11–26.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • OECD. (2011). OECD Health data: Health expenditure and financing. OECD Health Statistics (database). Retrieved from doi:10.1787/data-00349-en.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira, M. J., & de la Maisonneuve, C. (2006). The drivers of public expenditure on health and long-term care: An integrated approach (OECD Economic Studies No. 43, 2006/2). Paris: OECD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orenstein, M. A. (2009). Transnational actors in central and east European pension reforms. In A. Cerami & P. Vanhuysse (Eds.), Post-communist welfare pathways. Theorizing social policy transformations in central and eastern Europe (pp. 129–147). Basingstoke: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Österle, A. (2010). Long-term care in central and south eastern Europe: Challenges and perspectives in addressing a ‘new’ social risk. Social Policy and Administration, 44(4), 461–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Österle, A. (Ed). (2011a). Long-term care in central and south eastern Europe. Frankfurt a. M.: Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Österle, A. (2011b). A comparative analysis of long-term care in central and south eastern Europe. In A. Österle (Ed.), Long-term care in central and south eastern Europe (pp. 213–242). Frankfurt a. M.: Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Österle, A. (2012). Long-term care financing in central eastern Europe. In J. Costa-Font & C. Courbage (Eds.), Financing long-term care in Europe: Institutions, markets and models (pp. 236–253). London: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Österle, A., & Rothgang, H. (2010). Long-term care. In F. G. Castles, S. Leibfried, J. Lewis, H. Obinger, & C. Pierson (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of the welfare state (pp. 378–390). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Österle, A., Mittendrein, L., & Meichenitsch, K. (2011). Providing care for growing needs: The context for long-term care in central and south eastern Europe. In A. Österle (Ed.), Long-term care in central and south eastern Europe (pp. 17–39). Frankfurt a. M.: Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pascall, G., & Manning, N. (2000). Gender and social policy: Comparing welfare states in central and eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. Journal of European Social Policy, 10(3), 240–266.

    Google Scholar 

  • Popescu, L. (2011). Long-term care policy in Romania: A hesitant response to a pressing need. In A. Österle (Ed.), Long-term care in central and south eastern Europe (pp. 123–149). Frankfurt a. M.: Lang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Průša, L. (2010). Změny ve struktuře příjemců příspěvu na péči v letech 2007 a 2009 [Changes in the structure of care allowance beneficiaries in 2007 and 2009]. Fórum sociální politiky, 4(5), 20–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Průša, L. (2011a). Dotace ze státního rozpočtu jako klíčový důvod stagnace sociálních služeb [Subsidies from the state budget as a key reason for the stagnation of social services]. Rezidenční péče, 7(2), 8–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Průša, L. (2011b). Vývoj vybavenosti regionů službami sociální péče pro seniory a osoby se zdravotním postižením [Regional development of services of social care for seniors and handicapped people]. Kontakt, 13(2), 157–165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Průša, L. (2011c). Model efektivního financování sociálních služeb [Model for the effective financing of social services]. Working paper, unpublished.

    Google Scholar 

  • Průša, L., Jeřábková, V., Bruthansová, D., Červenková, A., Galetová, Z., Kaplan, E., & Svět, L. (2009). Poskytování ošetřovatelské a rehabilitační zdravotní péče uživatelům pobytových sociálních služeb v pobytových zařízeních sociálních služeb a v lůžkových zdravotnických zařízeních [Provision of nursing and rehabilitation care provided to the users of social services in residential social-service facilities and inpatient health-care facilities]. Praha: Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Research Institute of Labour and Social Affairs [RILSA] (2010). Poskytování sociálních služeb pro seniory a osoby se zdravotním postižením [Provision of social services for the elderly and persons with disabilities]. Praha: Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sowa, A. (2010). The long term care system for the elderly in the Czech Republic [ENEPRI Research Report No. 72]. Brussels: Centre for European Policy Studies.

    Google Scholar 

  • Theobald, H., & Kern, K. (2009). Elder care systems: Policy transfer and Europeanization. In A. Cerami & P. Vanhuysse (Eds.), Post-communist welfare pathways. Theorizing social policy transformations in central and eastern Europe (pp. 148–163). Basingstoke: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Válková, M., Kojesová, M., & Holmerová, M. (2010). Diskusní materiál k východiskům dlouhodobé péče v ČR [Discussion paper on the foundations of long term care in the Czech Republic]. Praha: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and Faculty of Humanities, Charles University, Prague. Retrieved from http://www.mpsv.cz/files/clanky/9597/dlouhodoba_pece_CR.pdf. Accessed 3 Jan 2012.

  • Van Mechelen, N., & De Maesschalck, V. (2009). Devolution of social protection arrangements. In A. Cerami & P. Vanhuysse (Eds.), Post-communist welfare pathways. Theorizing social policy transformations in central and eastern Europe (pp. 181–198). Basingstoke: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veselá, J. (2002). Představy rodinných příslušníků o zabezpečení péče nesoběstačným rodičům [Ideas of family members about safe care for non self-sufficient parents]. Praha: Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zákon č. 2006/100 Sb., o sociálních službách. [Act No. 100/1988 Coll., on Social Services, as subsequently amended].

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Labour and Social Affairs, Palackého nám. 4, 128 01, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jana Barvíková Ph.D.

  2. Institute for Social Policy, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business, Nordbergstr. 15, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Prof. Dr. August Österle

Authors
  1. Jana Barvíková Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Prof. Dr. August Österle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jana Barvíková Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Economic Sociology, Milan Polytechnic, VIA BONARDI 3, MILANO, 20133, Italy

    Costanzo Ranci

  2. , Economic Sociology, University of Macerata, Don Minzoni 2, Macerata, 62100, Italy

    Emmanuele Pavolini

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Barvíková, J., Österle, A. (2013). Long-Term Care Reform in Central–Eastern Europe: The Case of the Czech Republic. In: Ranci, C., Pavolini, E. (eds) Reforms in Long-Term Care Policies in Europe. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-4502-9_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation