East SOS, Together with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, Provided Medical Support for 18 Older People

Evacuation from frontline areas is only the first step in saving lives. For older people and people with disabilities, it must be followed by safe resettlement, proper care, and access to rehabilitation.

Thanks to the cooperation between East SOS and the Ministry of Social Policy, Family and Unity of Ukraine, 18 people with limited mobility received medical support. Ten evacuees were accommodated at the central district hospital in Berdychiv, while eight others were placed in the hospital in the village of Yemilchyne.

For 60 days, they will receive comprehensive medical, physical, and psychological rehabilitation as part of a long-term nursing care program. This stage is critically important after transit accommodation, as it provides a safe environment for recovery and stabilization of health while people search for permanent housing or long-term care solutions.

All evacuees are people aged 54 to 89 with reduced mobility. They were evacuated by East SOS crews in cooperation with partner humanitarian organizations and the White Angel police special unit from Druzhkivka, Vodianske, Sloviansk, Serhiivka, Pokrovsk, Kramatorsk, Yasnohirka (Donetsk region), and Kasaieve village (Dnipropetrovsk region). Before being transferred to medical facilities, the evacuees temporarily stayed at the Center for Social Adaptation for People with Disabilities run by the NGO Ocean of Good in Dnipro.

Each of these stories is about long waiting and difficult decisions. Eighty-nine-year-old Alina left Kramatorsk under constant shelling because she had no other choice. Seventy-one-year-old Olena from Pokrovsk stayed until the very end, but when the shelling intensified, she realized she could not delay any longer.

In the long term, evacuees will be able to access supported accommodation or inpatient care under the “money follows the person” principle.

East SOS accepts requests for free, targeted evacuation for older people and people with disabilities. The team provides a comprehensive evacuation cycle – from the first call to the call center to assistance in finding long-term accommodation.

You can apply for evacuation from Monday to Saturday (8:00 AM – 6:00 PM) by calling 0800 332 614.

Earlier, East SOS, together with the Ministry of Social Policy, provided medical support for 20 evacuated people with disabilities.