Prague 6 Offers Cheap Flat Rents in Exchange for Time Spent with Elderly Residents

Prague 6 is offering university students a chance to live in retirement home apartments for a monthly rent of 5,000 CZK.

The residents must meet specific criteria, including interacting with the elderly residents in the facility.

For the last three years, Prague 6 has been running a multi-generational housing initiative, mainly at the Šlejnická Street nursing home and in Libocy. They are currently searching for new occupants for the Šlejnická Street location.

The Deputy Mayor, Marián Hošek, stated that the apartment is similar in size and layout to those of the elderly residents. The apartment also has a balcony overlooking the garden.

The selected student will pay 5,000 CZK monthly rent and cover electricity costs, along with meeting other conditions.

This opportunity is open to full-time students of higher education institutions in Prague. Lucie Trnkova, the director of Prague 6’s care service, emphasized that an ideal student should have a background in social or medical fields and be skilled in communicating with elderly individuals.

The student must volunteer for at least 10 hours per month.

Interested applicants should outline their project ideas, which aim to enhance residents’ lives and promote social integration through activities like games, technological assistance, reading, walks, medical appointments, and shopping.

Lucie Trnkova highlighted the positive impact of intergenerational living on the residents, mentioning that introducing different generations has rejuvenated the environment.

Activities like petanque, reading sessions, and interactions have been particularly important after the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.