Up to 14 million older people with disabilities are affected by crises globally, according to a study by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and HelpAge International. Older people with disabilities had also encountered hostile attitudes when trying to access support. The study was based on interviews with older people affected by crises in Tanzania and Ukraine, as well as a review of academic research. In Ukraine, some were made to feel humiliated by health and social security staff, while in Tanzania, interviewees reported that they had been accused by younger people of faking their disability in order to get money. The research calls on donors, policymakers and aid agencies to support older people’s associations and disabled people’s organisations to work together, and improve aid workers’ understanding of the risks facing older people with disabilities.

Source: The Guardian April 30, 2018 15:00 UTC