“Emergency multi-sectoral support to conflict affected vulnerable and disabled older women and men in settlements located in the 5km zone in the GCAs locations of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts” Older women and men are among the most vulnerable groups affected by the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine. According to UNOCHA Humanitarian Needs Overview 2019, of the 3.5 million in need, 30% are above the age of 60 and of the 1.5 million registered IDPs, over 50% of them are over 60. Displacement, family separation and isolation, and lack of access to essential goods/markets affect older women and men disproportionately. 
Many of the most vulnerable conflict-affected older women and men are at risk of being excluded from conventional forms of aid distributions. They may face mobility limitations, have disabilities or chronic illnesses which prevent them from seeking assistance during physical distributions in town or village centres. 

Older men and women are often in need of personalized assistance and require a different approach, such as home-based care/assessments or, where secure and possible, community-based events that help reduce isolation. 
This project builds on previous protection based humanitarian interventions implemented by HelpAge International in Ukraine and funded by OFDA and ECHO, to provide direct Psychosocial Support (PSS) to older women and men affected by the conflict through Home-Based Care (HBC) for the most vulnerable households, Community Safe Spaces (CSS) and provision of mobility focused Assistive Ddevices, hygiene kits, Adult Diapers/Urological Pads and Toilet Chairs.

The HBC activities will be implemented by HelpAge trained community based volunteers that will provide “outreach” home visits to at least 1,061 immobile and vulnerable older people and persons with disabilities located in 20 of the 53 prioritised settlements of Donetsk and Luhansk. These locations are considered to be in high need and be the most isolated and hard to reach areas near to the line of contact. The HBC services provides support to promote greater levels of Independent living capacity, reduce isolation and improve awareness/understanding on appropriate health and nutrition practices as they relate to older people. 

The project will also support 3 Community Safe Spaces with two located in the Donetsk settlements of Luhanske and Chermalyk and one located in Luhansk settlement of Shchastia.  The CSS Centres will aim to reach at least 600 beneficiaries and will focus on providing PSS activities to the more mobile conflict affected older women and men located in the 5km zone near to the line of contact. Each CSS Centre will provide a safe venue for older women and men to meet and share their experiences, find support from other peers, access Psychosocial First Aid through discussion groups and taking part in group activities. Essential WASH NFIs will be provided to some of the CSS Centre beneficiaries (Hygiene Kits and Urological Pads). Health and nutrition messaging will also be provided to increase awareness and adopt of healthier practices.

Through these activities and by using a multi sectoral approach addressing protection, health and nutrition and WASH concerns, older people and persons with disabilities will be identified and their critical needs supported through appropriate interventions, allowing for improved access to humanitarian and social services, improved psychosocial wellbeing and resilience and referral to available and appropriate service providers based on the actual needs of the most vulnerable individuals.