Supporting older people in Ukraine

A call for an age inclusive reform and recovery.

70-year-old Lyudmila is a social care worker in eastern Ukraine. In addition to talking about her own experience, she echoes the thoughts of the people she has worked with.

Older people are facing disproportionately greater risks during the war in Ukraine.

As we mark one year since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we look back on the impact this war has had on older people across the country.

As the war continues, HelpAge International’s country director in Ukraine Akbar Nazriev shares his insights on how things have changed and what life is like living under the ongoing threat of attack.

HelpAge’s regional mental health and psychosocial support and protection adviser Lindsay Bingaman reflects on the challenges older people face after months of war.

People have flocked to the city of Dnipro from all over eastern Ukraine, fleeing the war with Russia. Many are older people, who find themselves displaced in a strange city yet still responsible for the care of their loved ones. Here are their stories.

Witnessing the impact of a humanitarian disaster is always profoundly challenging. But seeing so many older people affected in what is the world’s ‘oldest’ crisis is particularly confronting.

We meet older people who ended up in Lviv fleeing from the war.

Since 24 February - and according to international humanitarian law - once a Ukrainian passes beyond that barrier into Moldova, they become a refugee.

It is impossible not to notice signs of Moldovan solidarity with Ukraine. One such story is that of Argentina, 45, who is the manager of Zarea Hotel in the centre of Chisinau.

We have been speaking to the older women fleeing the country to Moldova as they contemplate starting their lives all over again.

How HelpAge staff and their families cope as war takes hold, again.

Thousands of Ukrainian refugees arrive in Moldova, fleeing hostilities as a result of the Russian invasion. Many of them are older people. Whether they are going to settle in Moldova or move on, they need support. Learn about their experience.

The war in Ukraine has destroyed everybody's lives regardless of who they are. Blog by HelpAge International CEO Justin Derbyshire.

Thousands of refugees are crossing the border from Ukraine into Moldova every day, fleeing the dangers of the Russian invasion. HelpAge International is building up its humanitarian presence in Moldova – where it has been working since 2000 - to help as many of those arriving as possible. Samuel Wood, Head of Humanitarian at HelpAge, visited the border and shared his observations.

HelpAge International staff and volunteers in Ukraine are trying to ensure safety of their loved ones, and support older people, as the Russian invasion continues. Read their experience.

HelpAge International’s CEO Justin Derbyshire tells us about the organisation’s work in Ukraine, memories of his visits there, and what needs to happen now.

Tatiana Sorocan, HelpAge International Country Director in Moldova, travelled with colleagues to visit one of the many refugee centres in Moldova that have sprung up overnight.

Ekaterina arrived in Moldova along with thousands of other refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Having just crossed the border, she shares her experience.

More than two million older people in the east of Ukraine are at extreme risk as a result of the Russian assault on the country, which will devastate the lives of millions of people.

A survey conducted by HelpAge staff and volunteers offers a glimpse of the conditions older people are facing in Eastern Ukraine.

Area Manager for HelpAge International in Ukraine talks about what we are doing in the face of the escalating conflict.

The narrative and reporting are missing one of the most important dimensions of any armed combat: the impact this will have on the people of Ukraine.

June 4 marks 100 days since the start of full-scale war in Ukraine. Since then, we have seen the lives of everyone across the country changed beyond recognition.

As the conflict in Ukraine escalates, the HelpAge international team stays on the ground to continue supporting older people. Area Manager for HelpAge International in Ukraine shares her first-hand experience.

Millions of older people caught up in the war in Ukraine are being overlooked in the humanitarian response, despite making up a quarter of the country’s population.

Ukraine Humanitarian Response Manager, Orla Murphy, reflects on the past six months of full-scale war and the plans ahead to respond to the longer-term needs of those embroiled in a protracted war.

Reforming long-term care and support, healthcare and pensions and building inclusive infrastructure, are critical priorities to address as Ukraine rebuilds.

Older people's experiences of the Ukraine war and their inclusion in the humanitarian response. This report shows that older people's human rights are at risk as a result of the war in Ukraine, despite significant efforts to support them.

An estimated 230,000 refugees have crossed the border from Ukraine to Moldova, with 120,000 of these planning to remain in the country.

Humanitrian Inclusion Standards for older people and people with disabilities

An estimated 230,000 refugees have crossed the border from Ukraine to Moldova, with 120,000 of these planning to remain in the country.

Rapid Needs Assessment of older people: Eastern Ukraine