PECULIARITIES OF SOCIAL WORK WITH THE ELDERLY IN NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS OF SOCIAL SPHERE

Abstract

Abstract. Every year in the structure of the population of the Earth the share of elderly people grows. In Ukraine, every fifth citizen is an elderly person. There are tendencies to increase the influence of civil society institutions in all areas of public life in Ukraine. That is why social work with the elderly is being implemented today also in non-state institutions. The purpose of the article is to determine the peculiarities of social work with elderly people in non-governmental organizations of the social sphere of Ukraine. The research methods include: theoretical analysis of the system of social work with the elderly in non-governmental organisations of the social sphere, as well as questioning the elderly − clients of the International Charity Fund «Caritas» (Dnipro) using the methodology of assessing the quality of social services by consumers. The main goal of non-governmental organizations that carry out social work with the elderly in Ukraine is to improve the quality of life and protect the rights and interests of this category of citizens. Non-governmental organizations are engaged in creating conditions for maintaining a decent lifestyle for the elderly, through overcoming both objective negative factors (lack of material resources, health problems) and subjective (feeling of loneliness, negative thoughts). Non-governmental organizations, functioning mainly at the local level, have the ability to respond quickly to the needs of a particular community, realizing the interests of its vulnerable groups. Taking advantage of the great trust of citizens, NGOs effectively use the entire list of their resources, including volunteer services provided by proactive and active staff. The advantages of non-governmental organizations are also the possibility of attracting material and financial resources from various sources, including donations, grants, membership fees, income from social entrepreneurship, funds of individuals and legal entities paying for their services. The list of social work with elderly people, implemented in the activities of non-governmental organizations in Ukraine, is not less than in state organizations. In particular, such organizations provide social assistance (home care, nursing care), humanitarian assistance, psychological counseling, social counseling, legal support. A striking example is the work of the International Charity Fund «Caritas», which organizes highly effective professional social work with the elderly, as evidenced by the results of the questioning.