Seventy-year-old Valentina Podgaichenko, a regular visitor to the Day Care Centre for the Elderly in Balykchy, Kyrgyzstan, found COVID-19 quarantine tough. Like many older people, at the beginning of the pandemic she was isolated and missed her children. Her normal contact with health services was disrupted and reliable information was hard to come by.
Populations around the world are ageing at a faster pace than in the past, and this transition is having an impact on all aspects of society. The pandemic has highlighted the seriousness of existing gaps in services, but it has also brought to light how communities can make a difference in bringing care to the most vulnerable.
Knowing that communities are key actors in health emergencies and that the needs of older people deserve special attention, WHO/Europe partnered with the civil society organization Resource Centre for the Elderly. The Resource Centre provides services to organizations such as the Day Care Centre in Balykchy, which offers seniors like Valentina a lifeline.
The work of these organizations reflects the goals of the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing, a global platform for collaboration through which WHO is promoting healthy ageing ¬– including in emergencies – so that older people can fulfil their potential with dignity and equality.
“The Day Care Centre kept in touch with us elderly people – calling, taking care of us, offering vaccinations. Doctors visited to check our eyes and now I wear glasses,” Valentina explains.
The joint initiative brought the COVID-19 response to the heart of this vulnerable community in Kyrgyzstan. To date, 3600 older people have received masks, medical devices and free counselling services. Those with disabilities have been supported to access health-care facilities, offered stimulating social contact and tips on COVID-19 protection, and given checks for blood pressure, diabetes and eyesight. Recognizing older people’s capabilities, the Resource Centre also taught participants online skills and established a council of paramedics that tapped into the experience of retired health workers.
Valentina continues to rely on the Day Care Centre for her health and well-being. “WHO visited, bringing devices to measure our oxygen, blood pressure and temperature. At the Centre, children put on concerts. It gives us inspiration – it makes me feel my life is important.”
The benefits of engaging with communities in emergencies
In emergencies, working with civil society organizations draws on their trusted relationships with the communities they serve and their intimate knowledge about the needs and abilities of those most at risk, including older people. Currently, more than 1 billion people aged 60 years or older live in communities across the globe.
Ekaterina Zinchenko, aged 95, lives alone with only a cat, a dog and some chickens for company. She visits the Day Care Centre daily, on foot. “The Centre provided vaccination and masks, and this might be the reason why I did not get sick.”
The Day Care Centre also offers members tips on healthy ageing. Kudaibergen Balgeldiev, aged 76, has become determined to maintain his health. “I wake up early in the morning and go to the lake to exercise there. The Centre provides encouragement. We share advice about how to live and enjoy better health.”
Erkingul Kurmanalieva, Director of the Bishkek Social Centre for the Elderly and Disabled, which also participated in the initiative, says, “The pandemic caused a lot of damage and affected all kinds of activities that we offer. But I would say that we maintained the dignity of our members thanks to the support of the Government and organizations such as WHO.”
An essential partnership
Gerald Rockenschaub, Regional Emergency Director at WHO/Europe, confirms that supporting communities to mobilize their own resources to protect the most vulnerable is critical, especially in the early stages of an emergency. “We, as WHO/Europe, work with communities in emergencies because they are the ones who have the eyes and ears on the ground. They are there, they know best what needs to be done, and they are the first to be affected by any particular crisis.”
Gerald adds, “Communities can mobilize their resources and protect their members best in the early stages of the crisis until the international community and the government can mobilize additional resources to support them.”