The East SOS team completed training on supporting people with dementia

On September 11, 2025, the East SOS team in Dnipro took part in the training “Dementia as a Problem of a Person and Society”, conducted by Larysa Shklovtsova, psychologist and head of the project “Formation of a Friendly Environment for People with Dementia” of the Bnei Azriel Jewish Hesed Charitable Foundation.

People living with dementia may experience memory loss, become disoriented even in familiar places, and face difficulties with communication or performing everyday activities. This creates significant challenges for both family members and professionals who care for them. Providing effective support requires empathy, understanding, and specific knowledge.

During the training, the East SOS team learned about the signs and stages of dementia, modern approaches to social support, and international best practices that can be adapted in Ukraine.

The training was attended by psychologists, social workers, lawyers, and evacuation logistics specialists of the East SOS Charity Foundation. This topic is especially relevant to our work, as we evacuate older people from frontline areas, support them at transit points in Pavlohrad, Voloske (Dnipro region) and Lozova (Kharkiv region), and assist residents of geriatric institutions, where cases of dementia are frequently encountered.

During the training, the participants:

• discussed the signs, stages, and types of dementia;
• dispelled myths and identified common social prejudices;
• practiced identifying a person’s needs, taking into account cognitive characteristics;
• worked through practical situations – how to respond if a person gets lost, confuses events, or struggles to express their opinion.

Interactive exercises helped participants better understand how people with dementia perceive information – what becomes a barrier and what serves as support.

“The activity and involvement in the process showed that people in the East SOS team are in the right place. Everyone was attentive, interested, and sincerely concerned about how to help. This deserves respect and gratitude,” noted the trainer.

The participants confirmed Larysa’s words: for many, this training became a valuable source of new knowledge and practical tools.

“The training was very important for me. I interact with older people showing signs of dementia every day, and now I understand better how to recognize symptoms and provide proper support. Special thanks to the trainer for a clear and engaging presentation,” said Olena Bosa, Social Consultant at East SOS.

We sincerely thank Larysa for sharing her knowledge and experience. This will help our team provide better support to older people in vulnerable situations.

The training was conducted with the financial support of the Fondation de France Solidarity Program with Ukraine.

Since August 2025, the East SOS team has been providing assistance to evacuees at the transit center in the village of Voloske (Dnipro region).