"Grandpas Get to Sleep In Here": Undercover Journalists Expose Illegal Care Homes in Moravia

Posing as relatives searching for a place for an 85-year-old grandfather, journalists visited four unregistered, illegal care homes in Moravia — in Hovorany, Mutěnice, Ratíškovice and Svitavy. It turns out dozens of such facilities operate in a legal gray zone without official authorization to provide social services, and according to the ombudsman's office, they pose a genuine danger to elderly residents.

One such facility — "Pestrý sad" (Colorful Garden) in the village of Hovorany in the Hodonín region — advertises itself on Facebook with photos that appear to be AI-generated: a happy elderly couple embracing amid a blooming garden. In reality, the home occupies a grey building on a street corner, behind which lies a dug-up yard littered with piles of bricks. The bathroom isn't adapted for elderly residents at all — there's no shower stall, and the low bathtub makes things difficult.

According to the owner, former nurse's aide Radka Bergmannová, the home can house up to eight people. Residents can move in almost immediately, unlike official facilities where waiting lists stretch for months. She charges 18,000 crowns for accommodation and meals, plus a sum equivalent to at least the third degree of the care allowance — 14,800 crowns. If the allowance hasn't been arranged, the family must cover the difference themselves. "That money goes toward the girls' wages," the owner explained, adding that care is provided by four caregivers working 12-hour shifts.

The facility has been registered as a civic association since last June, but it holds no official license for social services. "There just hasn't been time to register yet. If someone comes and asks, I have no objection," the owner said, adding that she wasn't aware registration was mandatory. Providing social services without a permit, however, carries a fine of up to two million crowns. "If things get really bad, I'll just close," she said.

At another facility, "Dům u Jany" (Jana's House) in Mutěnice, staff openly offered to help arrange the maximum, third-degree care allowance — even without any genuine need for round-the-clock supervision. "We have a doctor who will confirm it. Whatever he writes in the certificate is gospel for the social worker," a nurse explained. The state pays a care allowance ranging from 1,300 to 27,000 crowns per month, depending on the person's level of dependency.

According to Deputy Ombudsman Vít Alexander Schorm, inspections of 22 unregistered facilities found evidence of improper treatment of residents — or a high risk of it — in 20 of them. "In reality, the standard of care in illegal facilities is many times worse than in legal ones," he stressed.

A particularly alarming situation was uncovered at the former Schindlerův Hai hotel in Svitavy, home to roughly thirty residents, including people who are completely dependent on care. During their visit, journalists wandered the building for nearly an hour without encountering a single staff member. The ombudsman's inspection found no emergency call system in place, inadequate food, filthy and foul-smelling premises, and violations of fire safety requirements. One resident admitted to being afraid to stay there at night, unable to call for help if needed. Despite 28 corrective measures being ordered and a recommendation to either obtain a license immediately or cease operations, owner Leoš Mikulecký stated he had no intention of registering, claiming he already holds hostel status approved by the relevant authorities. The facility was inspected by the Pardubice Region authority, and police are also investigating the case.

In Ratíškovice, another owner, Radka Lhotáková, offered move-in as soon as the following day — even though some rooms are accessible only via stairs, and the doors apparently fail to meet standards for this type of facility. Her daughter, Karolína Batěvová, insisted the family is trying to complete the registration process, but that it's proving complicated.

According to the South Moravian Region, only four inspections of such facilities were carried out between January 2025 and May of this year — "their number is limited by how labor-intensive they are," explained regional spokesperson Petr Holeček. The deputy ombudsman advises citizens to always check a facility in the register of social service providers on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs before choosing a care home for a relative — it's the only way to confirm that an establishment holds legal authorization to operate.

Source: seznamzpravy.cz