Preferences of the Czech population when securing care for seniors in the period of their dependency

The aging of the Czech population gives rise to a number of problems. These problems are solvable by using social work. One of the sensitive topics is the way of securing care when people become dependent on others' help because of their age and health. Based on the results of representative research of the Czech adult population (N = 4,161) focusing on the preferences of forms and methods of care for seniors, this study aims at drawing attention to the so-called blank space in the social work map, namely the insufficient support of informal care and of persons providing care to people in their social environment. The research was based on a quantitative methodological approach using the survey method, which was part of a wider data collection within the SHARE Wave 6 initiative. The results showed that the Czech population most often preferred the most personal form of social assistance, i.e., the assistance and care by family members (39 %), or a combination of family care provided by family members and field or out-patient social services (25 %). © 2017 Association of Educators in Social Work. All rights reserved