{"id":2873,"date":"2026-03-08T18:46:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-08T16:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/?page_id=2873"},"modified":"2026-03-08T18:58:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-08T16:58:14","slug":"integrated-care-for-older-people-in-ukraine-governance-system-readiness-and-strategic-pathways-for-implementation-in-a-wartime-and-recovery-context","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/?page_id=2873","title":{"rendered":"Integrated Care for Older People in Ukraine: Governance, System Readiness, and Strategic Pathways for Implementation in a Wartime and Recovery Context"},"content":{"rendered":"

DOI: <\/strong>10.46340\/eppd.2026.13.1.3<\/a><\/p>\n

Nadiia Zubchenko, PhD in International law<\/strong>
\nProducts and Systems Ukraine (i-APS Ukraine), Odesa, Ukraine<\/em>
\nMykola Yatsenko, PhD in Sociology<\/strong>
\nProducts and Systems Ukraine (i-APS Ukraine), Odesa, Ukraine,
\nNational University \u201cOdesa Law Academy\u201d, Odesa, Ukraine<\/em>
\nNataliia Dumych<\/strong>
\nOdesa National Medical University, Odesa, Ukraine<\/em>
\nPoppy Walton<\/strong>
\nHelpAge International, Lviv, Ukraine<\/em>
\nKonstantyn Ryabukhin, PhD in medicine<\/strong>
\nHelpAge International, London, UK<\/em>
\nOksana Khymovych, PhD in Sociology<\/strong>
\nProducts and Systems Ukraine (i-APS Ukraine), Odesa, Ukraine,<\/em>
\nIvan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

How to cite: <\/em><\/strong>Zubchenko, N., Yatsenko, M., Dumych, N., Walton, P., Ryabukhin, K., & Khymovych, O. (2026). Integrated Care for Older People in Ukraine: Governance, System Readiness, and Strategic Pathways for Implementation in a Wartime and Recovery Context. Evropsk\u00fd politick\u00fd a pr\u00e1vn\u00ed diskurz, 13, 1,<\/em> 30-39. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.46340\/eppd.2026.13.1.3<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ukraine is undergoing accelerated population ageing under conditions of full-scale war, displacement, and systemic pressure on public institutions. These dynamics have exposed structural limitations of fragmented health and social care systems and intensified the need for integrated, person-centred approaches to supporting older people. This article analyses Ukraine\u2019s systemic readiness to implement the World Health Organization\u2019s Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) framework, with a particular focus on governance, financing, workforce policy, and administrative coordination.<\/p>\n

The study is based on a national mixed-methods readiness assessment conducted in 2025\u20132026 across two regions of Ukraine. Using the WHO ICOPE Implementation Scorecard as an analytical framework, the research evaluates macro-level (system) and meso-level (service delivery) capacities for integrated care implementation. Findings indicate that Ukraine demonstrates partial and uneven readiness, corresponding to an early implementation stage. While important enabling factors exist \u2013 including primary health care reform, decentralised social service networks, and high professional motivation \u2013 critical systemic enablers remain underdeveloped. These include interministerial governance mechanisms, integrated financing models, workforce coordination structures, and interoperable information systems.<\/p>\n

A structured SWOT analysis suggests that Ukraine\u2019s challenge lies not only in limited system capacity but in the misalignment of institutional, financial, and governance arrangements. Workforce shortages and resource constraints remain significant, yet existing elements of integrated care operate largely in parallel rather than as a coordinated system, reducing their effectiveness and sustainability. At the same time, post-war recovery, digitalisation, and ongoing public administration reforms create a window of opportunity to align these capacities and institutionalise integrated care as a core component of national ageing policy.<\/p>\n

The article argues that ICOPE implementation in Ukraine should be understood not as the introduction of a new service model but as a strategic instrument for systemic integration of existing health and social care structures. A phased, governance-led approach is proposed, combining pilot implementation with institutional reform and equity-focused financing mechanisms. Embedding integrated care into Ukraine\u2019s recovery and European integration trajectory could transform current fragmentation into a resilient, person-centred system for ageing populations.<\/p>\n

Keywords:<\/strong><\/em> integrated care, ICOPE, ageing policy, health and social care integration, governance reform, Ukraine, post-war recovery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DOI: 10.46340\/eppd.2026.13.1.3 Nadiia Zubchenko, PhD in International law Products and Systems Ukraine (i-APS Ukraine), Odesa, Ukraine Mykola Yatsenko, PhD in Sociology Products and Systems Ukraine (i-APS Ukraine), Odesa, Ukraine, National University \u201cOdesa Law Academy\u201d, Odesa, Ukraine Nataliia Dumych Odesa National Medical University, Odesa, Ukraine Poppy Walton HelpAge International, Lviv, Ukraine… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":2857,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2873","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2873","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2873"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2873\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2882,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2873\/revisions\/2882"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2857"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/eppd13.cz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2873"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}