CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES OF UKRAINIAN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE ELDERLY

Abstract

The subject of the publication is highlighting the main directions of charity working with older people of volunteers from Ukrainian churches and religious communities. The purpose of article is to study the experience of charitable activities Ukrainian parishioners in the custody field of the elderly. Research methodology is based on using the phenomenological approach and structural methods. The scientific novelty. This scientific research is the first attempt to understand of main directions of charity working with older people of Ukrainian congregations. Results. Gerontological work of believer volunteers is carried out in several ways: caring for infirm elderly people at home, palliative care, financial and material assistance for alone, disabled and poor pensioners, prevention of an abuse of the elderly, psychological help for old people, missionary activity, creation of specialized hospice and day support centers for the elderly, participation in the system of continuous education, the opening of universities for the third age, missionary work by dint of the religious media (periodicals, radio, television, internet resources, etc.), involving the retired persons in active social and religious activities, including care for the weak, the sick, orphans and so on. The study outlines the experience of charity work of Christian organizations «Eleos-Ukraine», «Caritas Ukraine», «Community of Sant’Egidio», «The Salvation Army's International», «Humanitarian assistance response team», «Latter Days Charity», etc.; also analysed the work of religious communities of Jewish, Islamic, Orientalist directions. Conclusions. The article is noted that the further diversity of this type of social work will contribute to the improvement of the complicated gerontological situation in Ukraine.