Going on Assignment in Prague June 2027 – June 5, 2027

Aging in the Heat

By Gracie Dykes

Environment: Aging in the Heat
 by Gracie Dykes
03 September 2026

Why the Czech Republic’s senior care system isn’t equipped for a changing climate.

At 92, long-time resident Jaroslav Benes feels Prague’s heatwaves in ways most people never notice. When temperatures climbed above 35°C (95°F) at the end of June, his small apartment became an oven.

“The windows in both the bedroom and the kitchen face the same direction, so we can’t cross-ventilate,” he said, describing nights when the air barely moved and sleep was impossible.

 Misting stations like this one in the city of Breclav were very popular during this summer’s scorching temperatures in the Czech Republic. Photo by Michael Cabal / NurPhoto

For Jaroslav, these aren’t abstract concerns; they are part of the daily reality of aging in a city that lacks a heat-response system designed to protect its most vulnerable residents.

The Czech Republic reached record high temperatures in late June during the heatwave that affected large swaths of Europe, with over 191 million people across the continent enduring temperatures of 35°C or higher. The week ending 28 June saw an estimated 14,260 excess heat-related deaths – the number of fatalities exceeding what historical trends would predict – across two dozen European countries. Over 80% of these deaths occurred among people aged 65 and older.

Another record-breaking hot spell when the thermometer exceeded 40°C hit the Czech Republic in early July and yet another in late July and early August.

In the past, the Czech Republic and the rest of Central Europe have recorded significantly fewer heat-related deaths than countries in southern and southeastern Europe. This summer, however, neighboring Germany was hit hard: an estimated 14,000 heat-related deaths were recorded up to 9 August, with 9,600 deaths in the late June heat wave alone.

The Czech Republic has long prided itself on relatively low economic inequality and unemployment, but still, inadequate pensions and the rising cost of living pose a significant risk of falling into poverty for the elderly in particular.

Official Advice: Help Yourselves

Moreover, many Prague residents live in old buildings that were not designed for long periods of extreme heat. Air conditioning remains uncommon in Czech households, and many seniors depend on limited cooling options such as fans, ventilation, or spending time in malls and other cooler public spaces.

Experts say that this combustible cocktail of inadequate cooling in older buildings, and an ever-expanding senior population signals the need for a support system capable of meeting vulnerable residents’ needs during heatwaves – seniors, as well as people living in poverty, minorities, and those with chronic health issues.

The government does acknowledge that it lacks a systematic response system for seniors and others vulnerable to heat-related health problems.

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“Basically, when it’s hot, just help each other out; if you’re a senior and you’re sick, let someone know, but also, if you know of someone in that situation, report it,” said the public outreach office of the Czech Health Ministry.

The Czech Republic not only differs from countries such as France in terms of reporting excess mortality during high temperatures, but it also lacks an official heat action plan. Following the devastating 2003 heatwave, France established a nationwide system that combines heat alerts with coordinated protection for vulnerable populations. The plan requires municipalities to maintain voluntary registries of older and disabled residents so they can be contacted and assisted during heat emergencies, while health agencies and social services activate public-health messaging and other support measures as alert levels increase.

In contrast, in the Czech Republic, “Assistance to seniors during heat waves is currently not addressed in any special way,” said Dr. Helena Kazmarova, the head of the Health and Environment Center at the State Institute of Public Health in Prague.

Scientific studies have also concluded that better heat warning systems could help stem the rising numbers of deaths during heat waves, particularly among Prague’s elderly.

“Services are not specifically organized in response to heatwave risks. Volunteers do visit seniors, but again, not in a way directly tied to heatwave alerts,” Kazmarova said.

This should soon change, the doctor added, saying that a strategy document intended to reduce the health impacts of extreme heat is in the works. The plan, which the Health Ministry is drafting in cooperation with other government agencies, is expected to establish a coordinated system that clearly defines the responsibilities of health and social service institutions during heatwaves. The plan is in its early stages, and will require more time, oversight, and signatures to implement, Kazmarova said. In other words, the Czech government could still be years out from implementing a coordinated effort to help seniors and other vulnerable groups during heatwave crises.

Decentralized System is Failing the Most Threatened

The elderly care system is decentralized in the Czech Republic, as the state acts purely as a regulator and primary funder.

The national authorities do not directly provide day-to-day care but instead outsource these services to regional and local authorities and to non-profit organizations, funneling public funds and state care allowances to these providers. The actual process of identifying who needs help, personal assistance, and home care is left mainly to NGOs. Since public authorities rarely run these services themselves, the system essentially relies on a network of non-profits to bridge the gap between state funding and hands-on community care.

“In the Czech Republic, as in other Western countries, the number of seniors is rising relative to the number of economically active people,” Jan Frantisek Krupa, the national head of social services for the Salvation Army in the Czech Republic, said.

“Finding resources to expand care for them – and supporting healthy demographic growth – must be a priority for any government.”

Czechia is aging rapidly, however, with the number of older adults now outpacing the number of children, a demographic shift that places increasing pressure on health and social-care systems as summers grow hotter each year. As noted, heatwaves are becoming more frequent and more intense across Western and Central Europe, raising the stakes for a population that is physiologically more vulnerable to extreme temperatures.

A future extreme heat event more severe than the 2026 heatwave could leave isolated seniors without timely support, creating situations where preventable harm becomes collateral.

As for Jaroslav Benes, he worries about his future health and well-being in Prague, concluding that his current plan for dealing with the heat in his apartment comes with drawbacks. “If you use a fan, you just end up catching a cold afterward,” he said.

Gracie Dykes is studying public affairs at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She took part in this summer’s Going on Assignment foreign reporting course in Prague, during which she reported and wrote this story.