Since the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022, HelpAge and its partners have supported hundreds of thousands of people affected by this conflict, many of them older women and men who are too often overlooked.
This has meant food and hygiene support, cash assistance, home‑based care, and safe community spaces where dignity is protected. It has meant working with local organisations and HelpAge network members in Moldova, Poland and Ukraine to reach people with disabilities, refugees, and those living with prolonged displacement.
Behind every number is a person navigating loss, uncertainty, and the daily effort of carrying on. What sustains people through a long war is not only aid, but human connection and the reassurance that they have not been forgotten.
Four years on, our responsibility is to stay present, to listen, and to keep older people firmly at the centre of the response.
Hear from Older Ukrainians in their Own Words
Vira, 81
Eighty-one-year-old Vira from Kharkiv region left her home, familiar paths and established rhythm of life because of the war. Forced evacuation became a severe trial for her.
“Everything was unfamiliar – the city, the people, even the air. And my health is no longer what it was. Sometimes you don’t think about tomorrow, only about how to get to the shop or the pharmacy,” she says.
Attention, care and support from others became the thread that allowed Vira to feel more confident, gradually restoring her sense of safety and dignity. “We will get through this. We are strong,” she says.
Valentyna, 66
Forced to leave her home in Sievierodonetsk because of the war, Valentyna could not abandon her dog – a large West Siberian Laika. “She is like a member of my family.”
“One day, a shell hit our building – windows and doors were blown out, and gas began filling the house. I dreamed about it often. Now, gradually, these memories are losing their power. I am learning to live here, in displacement.”
She discovered a calling in helping others – sewing adaptive clothing. “Sadly, many people in Ukraine need specialized clothing that is easier to put on after injuries. I took an old sewing machine and started sewing,” Valentyna says, dreaming of having her own workshop and a new machine to continue helping those in need.
Nadiia, 61
To an old industrial injury sustained while working in the mines of Donetsk region, a new tragedy was added in 2022 – war. Leaving everything behind, Nadiia faced the harsh reality of displacement. “Adapting to a new city turned out to be harder than I expected,” she admits.
“What helps me the most are conversations with a psychologist. I am learning to see the world differently, to hold less pain inside. This is very important for people like us, because we have been through too much.”
Nadiia does not give up: “Neither injury nor war has broken me. But what helps most is knowing that I am not alone – that there are people who care about me. And that gives me the strength to keep living.”
Liudmyla, 67, and Oleksandr, 61
“We, older people in Ukraine, are like tin soldiers – resilient despite all trials, yet at the same time very fragile and vulnerable.”
Iryna, 62
“There is nowhere to return to – and that is the greatest pain. But even here, in displacement, anxiety grows: the frontline is getting closer, and you don’t know what comes next…”
Taras, 85
“I have lived a long life and seen a lot. But I believe that people around you and support are the most important things in old age.”
Valentyna, 98, with her daughter Liudmyla, 68
“We have been living in conditions of war for eight years now, holding on to the hope that this war will end soon and we will return home.”