Situation of people with reduced self-sufficiency in the region of Mladovožicko

The cause of reduction of self-sufficiency, which we understand as a functional autonomy, may be a disability, chronic illness, but also a mere loss of physical and mental powers at old age. Elderly people are therefore the most numerous group of people with reduced self-sufficiency. Individuals with reduced self-sufficiency become dependent on assistance from other people, when they should be able to choose whether they will use informal sources of help or whether they will contact professional social service providers, when a combination of both methods is most appropriate especially for seniors. Municipalities as social services authorities should therefore ensure availability of social services for their citizens. The aim of the practical part was to determine the need for provision of field social services in the territory of Mladovožicko from the perspective of people with reduced self-sufficiency and from the perspective of representatives of municipalities. I have chosen quantitative research, method of interviewing. Using the questionnaire technique I learnt in a first research sample, that consisted of persons aged 65 years or over and selected younger people with disabilities who live in 3 chosen municipalities, that they currently regard help from family members and other informal sources to be sufficient, which confirms hypothesis H1. Therefore they currently do not need social services. Hypothesis H2 - Women feel in terms of the parameters studied more self-sufficient than men, was disproved by the research. However, hypothesis H3 was confirmed {--} only people in early old age retain full self-sufficiency. For the second research sample, composed of mayors of municipalities of type I in the selected territory, in which no social services have operated so far, I used the technique of semi-structured interview. I learnt that community planning of social services is currently not important and essential for them. But I believe that the research itself has aroused interest of the respondents in this issue and the whole thesis may become one of supplementary documents for further discussions of municipality representatives on possible establishment of social services for their citizens