Ukraine: Disabled and older people are too often left behind

Before the conflict escalated in February 2022, there were almost 3 million people with disabilities in Ukraine. In addition, a quarter of the population was over 60. Over 80% of single pensioners, the majority of whom are women, live below the poverty line. 

3 years on, people with disabilities and older people are still the hardest hit by the conflict says Humanity & Inclusion, an international charity working in Ukraine and other conflict zones.

• A large majority of older people, including a high proportion of people with disabilities, have remained in areas close to the front line
• For people with disabilities who have been able to flee, shelters and temporary accommodation are often not accessible
• Access to medical care is disrupted, with serious consequences: a general deterioration in people's health and the worsening of chronic illnesses 
• Humanity & Inclusion’s teams support older and disabled people and runs support groups to help them cope with the trauma they are experiencing (cumulative stress, separation, displacement, bereavement)

Left behind, close to the frontlines

In populated areas close to the front line, most of the inhabitants have been evacuated or have fled the fighting. But not everyone has been able to leave and seek refuge elsewhere. In fact, according to testimonies gathered by Humanity & Inclusion (HI), a large majority of older people, including a high proportion of people with disabilities, have remained despite the relentless airstrikes, either because they were reluctant to leave or because they were unable to do so.  

Areas close to the front line are mostly very rural with limited supplies, no medical facilities nearby and very little or no options for transport. In areas under constant attack, residents have no electricity, gas or water, and are dependent on generators for limited mobile data and internet access. Food and non-food items are also in limited supply. 

HI’s teams help the most vulnerable people living in remote areas to ensure that they have access to the basic items they need for their daily life, such as hygiene, bedding etc. Over time this support has evolved from direct provision to cash assistance, giving people the autonomy to define and meet their own needs. Our support is focused on the needs of people with disabilities, families with infants, and older people.

Disrupted medical care and inaccessible environment.  

For those who have been able to flee, the displacement mean that their medical care has been disrupted. They have to face many challenges, physical as well as psychological and struggle to access the basic services and medical support they need. They often find themselves in shelters and temporary accommodations that are often not accessible. People have to live without the support they desperately need and mainly without dignity. 

“Imagine being in a war zone but you can't see. Or you live on the ninth floor and the lift is too narrow to fit your wheelchair. When the air alarm sounds, you hear the clatter as everyone rushes downstairs to the shelters. They have no choice but to leave you behind. You face the bombing alone, hearing your windows rattle with each explosion while you shelter in your bathroom. All too often, in a conflict, it is civilians that pay the highest price. Among them, the most vulnerable are hit the hardest of all. 
People with disabilities, those with injuries and chronic illnesses, children, single mothers, and older people.” explains Sophie Allin, HI’s Global Specialist on Inclusive Humanitarian Action

Access to medical care is particularly difficult, with serious consequences: a general deterioration in people's health and the worsening of chronic illnesses or the appearance of new ones. Isolation, constant shelling and a lack of support is also impacting people's mental health, weakening them both psychologically and physically. 

“While in Ukraine recently, I met Olena. She had just fled the frontline with her elderly husband who needed constant medical care. They left their bomb-damaged home without essential medical devices and are now more than an hour away from the nearest medical centre. They can't access the healthcare they need or afford basic supplies, and they will struggle to heat their temporary home this winter. They are isolated and rely on the support of others.” says Allin.

“Our mobile teams in Eastern Ukraine are working to support vulnerable people displaced by the conflict like Olena and her husband and who can’t access the healthcare they need because of the war, providing them with physical rehabilitation and psychosocial support.”

Huge mental health needs

HI also runs support groups with the most vulnerable war-affected communities, including older people and people with disabilities, to help them cope with the trauma they are experiencing (cumulative stress, separation, displacement, bereavement), share their feelings, forge ties and strengthen their resilience.

Victoria Perez, mental health specialist for HI in Ukraine explains: "Everyone in Ukraine is impacted by war in one way or another. Air raid alarms and shellfire can be extremely frightening and stressful and can keep people on constant alert. Many people have family members or acquaintances who live or work close to the front line, or who are themselves in an area close to the front line. Civilians are constantly worried about their own safety and that of their loved ones. One of the things we hear most often is a deep sense of uncertainty about the future. This is a source of stress for many people, who feel that they can't make plans, and that even their current situation could be jeopardized." 

Testimony of Valentyna, 75 who attends HI’s mental health support groups

In Bohodukhiv, located 40 kilometres from the frontline, Humanity & Inclusion is helping older people cope with the constant stress caused by this long-lasting conflict. 

“Here in Bohodukhiv, it is more or less quiet, but of course missiles hit sometimes and sometimes we can see them flying over us”, says Valentyna, whose grandson is currently fighting at the frontline. This 75-year-old grandmother never thought there could be a war on this scale in her country. Ever since her grandson went to the front, she wakes up every morning with a knot in her stomach: “I wonder if he is still alive, I wish so much that nothing bad will happen to him”. She joins the support group run HI with other participants: “I feel protected, like part of a big family” she says. 

HI’s aim is to help them to cope with the stress and isolation of living through the war, by supporting each other. HI’s psychologist organise activities to help the participants cope with stress and anxiety. They also give “tips” and practical exercises people can do on a daily basis for their well-being, such as breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and little artistic activities

Notes

• Sophie Allin, HI’s Global Specialist on Inclusive Humanitarian Action who has been to Ukraine recently is available for interview upon request

For the past three years, HI’s teams on the ground have been providing inclusive humanitarian aid to people affected by war. This includes: 

• Identifying the needs of survivors of explosive weapons and referring them to HI’s  rehabilitation or psychological support services, and when we cannot meet their needs (e.g. provision of food) referring them to other local and international humanitarian actors. 
• Strengthening access to quality physical and functional rehabilitation, mental health and psychosocial support services, particularly for people with disabilities, their caregivers and healthcare professionals. 
• Providing financial support to people impacted by the war, people with disabilities and vulnerable households affected by the conflict, so that they can cover their basic needs.
• Raising awareness among civilians and other humanitarian actors of the dangers of explosive remnants of war and shelling, particularly in areas that are difficult to access or that Ukraine has just regained control of.
• Facilitate the rapid delivery of humanitarian goods to conflict-affected populations through shared storage and transport services. 

HI has active bases in the Dnipro, Kharkiv and Mykolaiv regions, an office in Poltava and its headquarters in Kyiv. A total of 208,139 people have been supported by HI since the escalation of the war in Ukraine.

HI’s Emergency response since 2022 in figures: (updated in December 2024)

• Nearly 14,994 rehabilitation sessions organised
• 1,924 healthcare workers trained in physical rehabilitation and psychosocial and mental health support.
• 2,033 aid workers trained in physical rehabilitation, psychosocial support and mental health
• 3,708 group and individual psychosocial support sessions were provided for 9,812 people
• 5,219 different assistive devices (wheelchairs, canes, toilet chairs, etc.) were distributed to 1,103 people
• 9,927 people were identified, assessed and referred to the appropriate services, and 3,713 people (aid workers, community representatives) trained in the principles of protection and inclusion.
• More than 175,091 people participated in awareness-raising sessions on the dangers of explosive remnants of war. 5,247 humanitarian workers and 573 community focal points were trained
• 70 humanitarian organisations (including 28 local NGOs) supported by HI’s Atlas Logistique unit.
• 51,190m3 of humanitarian products stored.
• 3,529 shipments organised by Atlas Logistique teams to deliver humanitarian aid.