Klavdiya Kazakova moved to Zolotoe, Ukraine when the military conflict in the eastern part of the country started in 2014. She is an internally displaced person with limited mobility who lives alone. Klavdiya told us: “My children didn’t visit me often before, and now that there is no transport connection, I only can communicate with them by mobile phone. I am an older person; I have many age-related diseases. It’s difficult for me to move around the house and I almost never go out.” Here’s more of her story, in her words.

Already alone, she was further isolated and terrified by the pandemic

“At first glance, when the pandemic began, it seemed that nothing had changed in my life. But now I live in constant fear and stress for my life and the life of my loved ones … Now we are in quarantine all over the country. We are practically cut off from nearby cities.”

 A HelpAge volunteer visits Klavdiya and helps her stay safe

“I first heard about coronavirus from news broadcasts on television, when the outbreak of the virus had just begun in other countries. I learned more about the COVID-19 pandemic from Elena, a HelpAge volunteer. She told me in detail about the first symptoms of the disease, preventive measures, and personal hygiene. Now I strictly adhere to these rules. For disinfection, I use simple and accessible means — laundry soap, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide. After going out, I must wipe my shoes and dry my outerwear in the fresh air.”

Responding to COVID-19 in Ukraine

HelpAge is distributing hygiene supplies and daily essentials through homecare volunteers, including toilet chairs, assistive devices, adult diapers, and urological diapers. We are distributing COVID-19 hygiene kits to older people in need, created an awareness campaign, and have translated our educational and advocacy materials into Russian.