EU funds help: Smart apartments will help people with multiple sclerosis

People with advanced diseases can be more functionally independent thanks to the technologies.

The apartments were set up in a new building for respite services, built by St. Joseph's Home with a contribution from EU funds. The facility in Žireč, belonging to the Červený Kostelec District Charity, is the only facility in Czechia that provides comprehensive care to patients with multiple sclerosis. One of the many services that St. Joseph's Home provides is respite stays for patients with advanced illness and their caregivers.

This year, the Home in Žireč has opened new expanded facilities that will be used by patients and the people caring for them.
  
BARRIER-FREE BUILDING
A new building with a capacity of seventeen beds was built on the site of a former farm building, later converted into an apartment building. The barrier-free building is connected to the neighbouring St. Clare's House by a glass corridor, the roof of which can be used by clients as an observation deck and a footbridge. The surroundings are newly arranged as rest areas with benches, paths and flower beds. The building now houses counselling centres, hydrotherapy, occupational therapy, a community room, and an alternative communication centre. On the first floor, there are six standard rooms for eleven clients. 

The second floor is dedicated to the pilot part of the project. "This was the construction of the first three smart model apartments ever built in the Czech Republic for people with multiple sclerosis," said Jan Staněk, the spokesperson for St. Joseph's Home. He added that there are twenty-five thousand patients with multiple sclerosis living in the country, of which six thousand are in an advanced stage of the disease with serious movement and other limitations.
 
The three double-bed households, each with a bathroom and a kitchenette, are equipped with smart technologies. Thanks to them, patients with advanced disease can be more functionally independent, they can participate more in everyday life or even work.
 
THE APARTMENT IS CONTROLLED BY VOICE
The apartment residents can use their voice, mouth mouse, or eye movements to control the TV and radio, turn lights and ventilation on and off, or raise or lower window roller blinds. Everything can be controlled via a smartphone or tablet, and clients also have special desktop computers at their disposal.

“The goal was for the technologies to be usable even in a home environment.
Moreover, if people want to start using some of these devices at home, we will advise them and help them with the installation. Some clients don’t even know that they can receive financial contributions from the state to purchase such devices. And we will, of course, advise them on this too," says Martin Kouba, an employee as well as a client of St. Joseph's Home, who teaches the other clients how to work with the technology.
 
The smart apartments in Žireč are used by clients for health and respite stays. "This is one of the options we offer to clients. They can learn about new devices that they can buy and so they don't have to give up staying in their home," added Martin Kouba. People can arrange respite stays at St. Joseph's Home in Žireč lasting from one week to three months. Around 200 clients make use of the new building annually.
 
The construction and equipment of the new facility cost CZK 95 million. The EU fund project covered over a half of the amount, CZK 51 million. "The final budget was negatively affected by inflation related to the war in Ukraine and covid. The project would never have been implemented without aid from the Integrated Regional Operational Programme," said the spokesperson for St. Joseph's Home. The remaining amount was covered by the Hradec Králové Region and other entities. Almost six million were raised from donors who contributed to the collection called Smart Apartments for a Dumb Disease.
 
Donors can continue to contribute financially to the clients of St. Joseph's Home, for example through a collection called Domovenka. "Domovenka is a voucher for one hour of care or professional exercise here at St. Joseph's Home for people with multiple sclerosis," Staněk explained, adding that one such voucher costs CZK 290. Regular exercise with a specialist significantly contributes to maintaining functional motor skills of patients and gives them hope for a longer life without dependence on others.
 
“The goal was for the technologies to be usable even in a home environment. Moreover, if people want to start using some of these devices at home, we will advise them and help them with the installation.” Martin Kouba, St. Joseph’s Home
 
EU FUNDS HELPED TO OPEN UNIQUE APARTMENTS. The first three smart apartments for patients with multiple sclerosis are operating in Žireč near Dvůr Králové nad Labem. They were created thanks to more than CZK 50 million in aid from EU funds and allow ill people to control devices in the apartment using e.g. their voice. The home in eastern Bohemia helps not only the ill persons, but also their families. It offers respite stays that allow caregivers to replenish their physical and mental strength.
 
Photo: Deník daily/Eva Čepičková + archive of St. Joseph's Home