This report assesses Ukraine’s readiness to implement the World Health Organization’s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) approach in the context of rapid population ageing and the ongoing war.
It finds that while Ukraine has important foundations for integrated, people‑centred care—particularly a reformed primary health care system and a wide network of social services—care remains fragmented. Health and social services largely operate in parallel, with weak coordination, no shared care pathways, limited data exchange, and misaligned financing. As a result, integrated care exists mainly through informal practices and individual effort rather than as a system function, placing a heavy and often invisible burden on families and caregivers.
The assessment concludes that ICOPE is feasible in Ukraine only if it is pursued as a system‑wide transformation rather than a stand‑alone pilot. Key barriers include fragmented governance between health and social sectors, workforce shortages and burnout, lack of funding for coordination and caregiver support, and the absence of shared digital systems.
At the same time, there are clear opportunities: strong professional commitment, community‑level resources, active civil society, and policy interest in healthy ageing. The report recommends establishing inter‑ministerial leadership, creating financial and regulatory mechanisms for integrated care, formalising coordination roles, strengthening community‑based and home‑based services, and recognising caregivers as integral partners in care—so that integrated care becomes the norm rather than the exception.
