Prague opened a mental health center for seniors and will build a new pavilion

Prague – Prague has launched the first Mental Health Center for Seniors in the metropolis, which provides assistance to seniors with mental illnesses, especially those with dementia, and their families. The clients are cared for by a team consisting of a psychiatrist, geriatrician, and social workers, who can also provide help directly in the home environment. At the same time, the city is building a new pavilion within the Palata Home area, which will offer 73 places for clients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. This was presented to reporters today by city representatives and the Palata Home, under which both services will be provided.

The Mental Health Center for Seniors began operating in March as a pilot project and is located in rented facilities on Starokošířská Street in Prague 5. The city has now officially launched its operation. It offers free assistance to seniors, their families, and those who care for them.

"Our goal is for seniors to be able to live at home for as long as possible, in a familiar environment and among their loved ones. And if that is no longer possible, we must provide them with dignified, safe, and quality residential services," said Deputy Mayor Alexandra Udženija (ODS).

Currently, the center is already taking care of approximately 45 clients. According to Udženija, seniors and their relatives can also contact the center just for information, and the team will subsequently help them find care that meets their needs.

The services of the center are complemented by the construction of a new pavilion in the Palata Home area, which aims to expand residential care for people with dementia. Palata I, a historical building with special arrangements for clients with dementia, including those with disabilities, is already operating on the premises. The new pavilion, Palata II, will offer an additional 73 places. The shell construction has already been completed, and according to Udženija, the pavilion should be ready by spring next year, with the expected completion date in April.

In the new pavilion, there will be four departments for 60 clients in the second stage of dementia and two specialized Oáza departments for an additional 13 people in the most severe phase of the illness. The pavilion will be designed, according to Udženija, to provide clients with privacy and to resemble a home environment as much as possible. It will also include offices and adapted outdoor spaces.

Part of the Mental Health Center for Seniors will also move to Palata II after the pavilion is completed, where there will be offices and other facilities for its operation. According to Udženija, this will connect the services from supporting seniors who can remain at home to residential care for clients who can no longer manage the home environment.

Prague, according to Udženija, is also preparing further expansion of these services. The city has selected another facility in Prague 5 that it wants to transfer under the Palata Home and build a complete mental health center for seniors there. Details of the plan will be presented by the city later as preparations progress.

With the gradual aging of the population, according to Udženija, the need for capacities and services for seniors is also increasing. According to her, Prague has increased the capacity of senior homes by 147 places since 2024, an additional 193 places are currently under construction, and the implementation of around 300 more places is being prepared. In total, according to her, the city has ensured or is preparing more than 600 new places in senior homes.