June 15 – Protection of Older Persons Day
On this date, the world marks World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It was established to draw attention to the issues of social isolation, discrimination, and violence faced by older people. In Ukraine, this day carries an even more profound meaning: today, we are fighting for something even more fundamental – their right to life, which is being taken away by russia.
Look into the eyes in these photographs. Each wrinkle reflects a life lived; each gaze carries an unspoken longing for home.
These powerful portraits were taken by our colleague, Olha Vladymyrova, Medical Case Manager and Evacuation Crew member at East SOS. While supporting evacuees rescued daily by our crews, she captures emotions that speak louder than words.
Older people in frontline regions are among the most vulnerable. War strips them of basic living conditions, cutting access to electricity, heating, water, and medical care, while shelling destroys their homes. The decision to leave the place where they have spent their entire lives is often the hardest step – yet frequently the only path to safety.
For East SOS, evacuating older people is not just relocation. It is comprehensive assistance – from the first call to the hotline, to rescue, and further legal and social support, to finding long-term accommodation, especially for those in need of residential care.
We do this because we believe deeply in compassion and understanding: support for these people must come first. We are grateful to Olha for this visual chronicle of human lives.
If your relatives or elderly acquaintances in high-risk areas need evacuation or support, please contact our hotline: 0 800 332 614 (Mon-Sat, 8:00–18:00)
We also provide consultations via messengers:
+38 (099) 710 48 72 (Viber);
+38 (096) 108 60 48 (Telegram).
How the East SOS team evacuates people with disabilities from Kramatorsk – in a photo report by a U.S. journalist.
