IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REFORM OF SOCIAL SERVICES DEINSTITUTIONALIZATION FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE IN UKRAINE: TODAY’S CHALLENGES

Abstract

The article deals with the issue of social service and social support of the elderly. The statistical data of the number of state institutions as of today are presented. The implementation of a new system of providing social services in conditions of decentralization for the elderly has a number of defining advantages, among which deinstitutionalization deserves special attention. The negative consequences of the stay of elderly people in large residential-type institutions have been noted. A description of the institutional culture existing in state institutions for the elderly is provided. It has been proven that under the conditions of the deinstitutionalization reform, all institutions of long-term inpatient stay are replaced by family-type services or services at the community level. One of the main tasks is to ensure the implementation of the deinstitutionalization process while respecting the rights of users and groups, minimizing the risk of harm and obtaining positive results for all interested parties. The authors emphasized the emergence of privately owned boarding houses for the elderly in Ukraine. However, as a result of the inspection of such boarding houses by representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office, a number of violations were found. Although normative acts have been adopted regarding the mandatory entry into the Register of information about social service providers, about the procedure for providing social services, implementation of control measures aimed at compliance with legislation during the provision of social services, however, social service providers do not provide information about their activities for entering them to the Register of social service providers and work in violation of the requirements of current legislation. Stimulation and encouragement of the creation of advisory and consultative bodies of elderly people at all levels is revealed. The algorithm of social services deinstitutionalization for the elderly was mentioned, which was developed in 2017, but has not yet been implemented in Ukraine. A number of main problems were identified, which were supposed to be solved during 2023-24 for the implementation of the deinstitutionalization reform. In particular, all measures were significantly slowed down after the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into the territory of Ukraine and the introduction of martial law. Thus, a successful national policy for the elderly can be implemented by increasing their involvement in social life in communities.