In the past, social service centers were typically located on the outskirts of towns, often housed in historic manor houses that offered clients a peaceful setting and spacious parks ideal for walks in nature. Today, the situation is different – the provision of social services has advanced, and clients are moving from the margins of society back into the community, where they can live fulfilling lives with everything that entails.
Although manor houses may appear impressive at first glance and attract admiration for their history and old stories, from a maintenance perspective they not only represent a costly burden for administrators but also complicate the lives of clients who have found their second home in them. From a technical standpoint, they often no longer meet the requirements for providing social services, and operating them is much more expensive and complicated than running ordinary facilities. This is mainly due to their historical value, which limits renovations and necessary repairs; modernizing them is difficult to finance and often exceeds the capacity of the institutions and municipalities that run them. These are some of the reasons why the Trenčín regional authority has decided to gradually move its social service centers out of historic manor houses and provide clients with spaces for modern living and reintegration into the community.
Adamovské Kochanovce
A prime example is the ongoing deinstitutionalization project for the Adamovské Kochanovce Social Services Home. This facility is housed in a 17th-century manor that is a Cultural Heritage Monument. However, the goal of the facility’s management and the region was to create a true home for the recipients of social services. Thanks to funding from the Recovery and Resilience Plan of the Slovak Republic and the regional budget, this dream is becoming reality. The clients’ new homes will be spread across four locations in the Trenčín district – Trenčín, Mníchova Lehota, Chocholná-Velčice and Adamovské Kochanovce – in small, accessible houses. These family-style social service units will house a total of 48 clients, 12 in each location. “Everyone deserves a true sense of home, regardless of whether they have a disability,” explained the facility’s director, Jana Pondušová. “Each of the four plots will have two accessible residential units, designed much like regular family houses, plus facilities for staff.” The project, which will enable clients to live more independently, also includes converting a former dormitory in Trenčín into a rehabilitation center. What was once a city villa has been transformed into a Day Activity Center that will serve people with severe disabilities. This will open up new opportunities for providing outpatient social services to 30 clients. Besides its major social benefit, the project also has aesthetic value – the modernized building is already a gem of the city center neighborhood and has impressed both professionals and the public. It won two awards in the Baumit Façade of the Year 2025 competition.
The construction of the homes was launched by the regional authority together with clients of the SSH in Adamovské Kochanovce.
Dolný Lieskov
Another regional facility, the Social Services Center NÁDEJ in Dolný Lieskov, has been housed in a 17th-century manor rebuilt in the 19th century in the Baroque style. It features a large park with a gazebo and a small pond, ideal for clients to spend time outdoors. Despite the pleasant surroundings ideal for these types of services, the manor building is gradually becoming unsuitable. Although the grounds have been renovated and modernized several times, the manor itself is a cultural monument, meaning any changes must be approved by the Monuments Board. The Social Services Center NÁDEJ provides residential social services in a social services home, a specialized facility, and supported housing. As part of the latter, a comprehensive renovation is underway in Stupné (Považská Bystrica district) of the original building where this service is offered. Twelve clients capable of living daily life independently with minimal supervision will thus move directly into the community. They will live in modern, accessible spaces in a cozy and stimulating environment that feels like a true home. In addition to four self-contained apartments, an extension will be added to serve as a garden workshop for occupational therapy. The renovated facility will meet all current legal requirements and modern trends in social service provision. “It’s a modern facility operating on a unit-based apartment system. It was made accessible, an elevator was added, and we created facilities and conditions for occupational therapy,” said the center’s director, František Martaus. The region also used funding from the Slovak Recovery and Resilience Plan and its own budget for this project, enabling it to meet current needs and provide social services comparable in quality to those abroad.
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