Debrecen4U July 14, 2026

Wing 1A Refurbished at Pallagi Road Residential Care Home

Details of the investment were presented at a press conference held on 13 July 2026 at the site by Mayor László Papp Lajosné Nagy, Director of the Municipal Social Service of Debrecen, and City Councillor Róbert Juráskó.

As László Papp explained, the refurbishment of the building has been progressing continuously for many years. In recent years, the Municipality has primarily focused on renovating the interior section by section and floor by floor, while working towards the long-term goal of ensuring that the entire building, both inside and out, is fully renovated within the next few years. The newly refurbished Wing 1A, which has capacity for 55 residents, will serve as an important unit for dementia care in the coming period. The Municipality signed a contract with Hunép Zrt. in October 2025 to carry out the refurbishment, and the site was handed over to the contractor in January this year. Following completion of the construction works and the procurement and installation of new furnishings, the fully and comprehensively refurbished wing is now ready for handover, with residents due to move in over the coming days. The refurbishment included the complete replacement of floor and wall coverings, repainting, the installation of new furniture and fitted furnishings, replacement of doors and windows, replacement of the doors to the small storage rooms on the balconies, refurbishment of communal areas, the complete renovation and accessibility upgrade of the shared bathroom facilities, and the installation of an extractor ventilation system in those facilities. As a result, both residents and staff now benefit from significantly more comfortable living and working conditions. A kitchen has also been created where family members can heat meals brought from home for residents in suitable surroundings, while a staff kitchenette has likewise been provided. An audio system has also been installed in the wing, which will play an important role in providing music therapy for residents. As the Mayor noted, the refurbishment of the wing cost just over HUF 200 million. László Papp thanked both the residents and staff for their patience during the refurbishment works and wished everyone good health and continued success in their work.

Lajosné Nagy, Director of the Municipal Social Service of Debrecen, stressed that the refurbishment now makes it possible to accommodate the institution’s two dementia care units within the same part of the building, allowing care provision and staff organisation to be managed more efficiently than before. The Director thanked the Municipality for adding yet another refurbished wing to the building this year and expressed her hope that the programme of improvements would continue in the future. As she emphasised, it is in the interests of both residents and employees to live and work under the best possible conditions.

According to Róbert Juráskó, it is both important and encouraging that improvements are made to the residential care home every year. He pointed out that this refurbishment should not simply be seen as an overall improvement in accommodation standards, but also as a significant enhancement for those residents who require the greatest level of care. It also provides considerable support for family members, as caring for people living with dementia at home is extremely demanding. In the newly refurbished wing, specifically designed for dementia care, residents can enjoy their daily lives in an environment tailored to their particular needs. Róbert Juráskó also expressed his hope that the gradual refurbishment of the institution would continue.

Responding to a journalist’s question on the matter, László Papp said that the Municipality intends to continue carrying out further refurbishment projects at the Pallagi Road Residential Care Home every year. The facility is currently operating close to its maximum capacity, and during the most recent site visit the possibility was raised of expanding the institution by converting the uppermost floor of the building. A structural assessment and design study will therefore be prepared to examine this option. The Mayor added that developments relating to residential elderly care can only be financed from the Municipality’s own budgetary resources and revenues, as neither European Union funding nor central government support is currently available for this purpose. Against this background, he said it is particularly regrettable that the City of Debrecen is required to pay HUF 12 billion in solidarity contributions into the central budget, with that figure increasing by more than HUF 1 billion through contributions to the Competitive Districts programme, bringing the total deduction to well over HUF 13 billion. László Papp stressed that the refurbishment of the entire building would already have been completed had the Municipality not been required to make these payments to the central budget. Consequently, the next stages of the refurbishment programme will depend to a significant extent on how the solidarity contribution and the Competitive Districts funding scheme develop over the coming year or years, and on the level of financial flexibility available to the Municipality to continue these improvements.

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu