09.06.2014, Lviv region
“Home Care” project on medical and social care and improvement of living conditions for lonely elderly individuals in their homes operates in 8 cities – Kyiv, Donetsk, Odessa, Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, Kolomyia and Boryslav. Over 500 people are under care, in particular, seniors, palliative patients, victims of totalitarian regimes, ostarbeiters, people with HIV/AIDS, their families or care-takers.
Team of qualified employees, almost 35 people, provides needful individuals with a broad range of services: assisting with personal hygiene, offering medical and housekeeping services, legal counselling, organized recreation, psychological consultations etc.
Krupkina Olena Ivanivna – widow of a Great Patriotic War veteran. She was born in 1931 in Poltava region. However, her destiny brought her in Boryslav (Lvivska oblast), where she continued her life after German troops retreated, she got married, worked and gave birth to a daughter. But her life turned out in a tragic way: because of tuberculosis Mrs. Olena lost her husband, daughter and grandson.
“Home Care” employees have been taking care of Olena Ivanivna since 2002. Just then she had a breakdown of her state of health as a result of numerous emotional disturbances. Moreover, with minimal pension she couldn’t afford buying necessary healthcare products and food.
Doctor of a project prescribed treatment timely and she received required help, it became possible to increase pension for Mrs. Olena as a widow of a disabled war veteran.
Gradually patient’s condition was getting better, but she began to have frequent heart seizures, her hypertension was growing, she faced derangement of metabolism and developing parkinsonism. Olena Ivanivna repeatedly acknowledged that assistance and support of local Caritas were and are priceless for her.
Workers of Caritas in Boryslav are inspired by Olena Ivanivna; they say she is an example of a real Christian to follow. She is kind, communicable and joyful in different life situations, with exhilarated spirit and constant grat
itude to God for everything she has.
All 8 organizations of Caritas Ukraine are organized with relevant medical and rehabilitation equipment, have well-trained qualified personnel and experienced local managers. Project is targeted not only on care of needful people, but also training of medical and social workers, constant enhancement of their professional skills and cooperation with educational establishments.
In 6 oblasts of Ukraine regional administrations of Home Care collaborate with local departments of social security for seniors and lonely ones, offices of Retirement funds, with subsidies departments, doctors from policlinics and hospitals with aim to redirect and consult clients.
In all 8 centers of “Home Care” project there are information and consultation centres. Here, specialists in home care render consultations on ways to take care of ill individuals and to preserve their health; give qualified information how to use rehabilitation equipment for taking care of the ill for their family members, relatives and neighbours. Educating thematic trainings for volunteers and social workers are being held on the regular basis.
Mariya Zherebetska was born in 1993 and originates from Yamelnytsya village in Lviv oblast. She was the first child in a large family, apart from her there also were seven kids. She finished 4 forms in her native village, and when she was 12 years old she began to work for hire. Mariya was doing jobs about the house and in the garden, and was taking care of livestock.
When she was 27 years old she moved to Boryslav and got employed as a cleaning woman in the pharmacy where she worked for 42 years. She got married in her thirties. Her work resulted in rheumatism. As the years went by Mariya got other illnesses: hypertension, ischemic heart disease, cataract and considerable decrease in hearing.
But 
Mrs. Mariya is still a keen Christian and for almost 11 years she helped with cleaning in church and dealt with other current matters, – retell employees of local Caritas who became the second family for Mariya Zherebetska.
There is a possibility to loan out rehabilitation equipment in 6 organizations of Caritas Ukraine. Every year hundreds of needful Ukrainians are provided with anti-decubitus cellular mattresses and pillows, pneumatic bowls for head washing, neck support pillows, toilet seats, wheelchairs, two-wheeled folding walking aid, sticks with four supports etc.
Furthermore, social laundries are organized in 6 centers of Caritas Ukraine. By means of well-organized work of laundries over 200 people, clients of Home Care project, can regularly get use of services on washing of dirty underlinen. It goes through washing and ironing process and is delivered to clients homes in ready-to-use condition.
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