The full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has caused massive civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, forcing people to flee from their home country to often unknown places. The people escaping from the war have overflooded Europe, with more than 5,826,700 refugees from Ukraine recorded on October 22, 2023. Although Denmark is far from Ukraine, it willingly accepts Ukrainians and provides refugees with the necessary support.
The war has resulted in deaths, injuries, and mass displacement of people of all ages, including seniors. In Denmark, retired refugees are a growing and overlooked group, and they are significantly worse off than ethnic Danish elders.
There are some important factors to bear in mind when it comes to older refugees. Older refugees may feel particularly vulnerable to threats to their personal safety, contributing to anxiety and social isolation. They often depend on their family and community-based support. Public transport may be a huge challenge for this category of refugees. As it is not easy to get from point A to point B, when there is often no connection between small towns and villages in Denmark, it increases older people’s dependence on others and prevents them from participating in social activities.
It is often a case of a particular concern in refugee families that they may be struggling to adjust to a new country, when older people may face a kind of exploitation, be expected to take undue responsibility for domestic and childcare tasks, or be isolated in the home.
Another challenge for them is a new language. Older refugees are less likely to speak the language of the new country and are slow to acquire a new language.
Gradually becoming aware of all the difficulties that senior refugees have to face, the idea to help out this vulnerable group was born. Namely, three months ago, a club for senior refugees in one of the middle-sized municipalities was established with the purpose of serving as a space for older refugees from Ukraine to join together in their pursuit to draw strength and energy from being together. It has been created for those who want group support, learning, and activities.
And it has already become a good tradition for senior citizens displaced to Denmark from various parts of Ukraine (ages 60+) to meet and participate in various free activities once a month, particularly on the last Thursday of the month.
While social club meetings are planned around highlighting opportunities for widening the network and strengthening emotional comfort, the central feature of the club is giving the participants a chance to speak freely amongst themselves and bond over their shared heritage, values, and lived experiences.
If you happened to be invited as a guest to the elderly community, you would probably emphasize to them that they love having a space to just talk in their native tongue and be together. Feeling the atmosphere of harmony and joy, one could admit that it is very useful for refugees, internationals, and elders because they share their difficulties and their happiness, and they can understand and recognize the problems between people and will help each other. No doubt, the Ukrainian social club participants benefit from the activities that are carried out together; some of the most impactful ones come from the conversations they share with each other. This is why many of them describe the meetings as a supportive environment.
Outside of conversation, the meetings also give space for quiet reflection activities, including having participants create drawings. For example, this week a meeting of the Ukrainian social club was conducted under the topic “The Bright Colors of Autumn”. To this end, an artist and art therapist from Kyiv, Ukraine, with many years of experience, has been invited to give an online lesson on drawing nature.
It’s no secret that art and art therapy can support the mental health and well-being of people displaced due to a military conflict. But art can also provide a vehicle for self-development and personal expression, in addition to the numerous benefits of using art as a therapeutic technique, as exemplified by “The Bright Colors of Autumn”.
At the very beginning of the lesson, the participants were asked if any of them could draw pictures. None answered positively. What a surprise it was to see their drawings and their masterpieces at the end of the lesson! Though it may be considered that it is the element of women to give vent to feelings and express themselves through quiet and peaceful activities like knitting or drawing, all the men were actively involved in the process. As a result, all the Ukrainian social club participants were in delight at what they could do. As it seems, the lesson of drawing with a knowledgeable and positive person from their home country has enabled refugees to harness this creative process and foster new channels for their voices, finding inner harmony and comfort. Regardless of gender or educational background.
Fig. 1. A sample for drawing “The Bright Colors of Autumn” for the Ukrainian social club
Along with drawing, the Ukrainian social club is a safe place for its members to practice Danish with Danish volunteers. The focus is on imparting the language skills needed to accomplish basic tasks such as simple communication when shopping, using public transportation, or meeting new people.
The importance and benefits of language learning for refugees can give older persons a focus for re-establishing routine, socializing, and learning about Denmark. The simple phrases and expressions are helpful tools for seniors, not only in terms of finding a way to express themselves in another language. It is much more important, as it supports self-esteem and self-confidence. The efforts and energy that Danish volunteers invest in this process are highly appreciated by the Ukrainian seniors.
Though there have not been so many meetings of the club yet, it can boast of interesting and inspiring programs that are a lot of fun for all and that include a festival of Ukrainian cuisine, a Danish language workshop, “hyggelig” coffee drinking, and much more. The future programs include bus trips around Denmark and visits to museums and cultural centers. There are many other ideas about the upcoming events and involvement in social, cultural, and recreational activities that are “maturing” in the heads of the club’s founders. They are looking forward to creating more opportunities for our loved elderly people to connect, grow, and build stronger communities here in Denmark.
What can you draw from our experience? We hope our attempt will draw your attention to a vulnerable group of people who, in one day, on February 24, 2022, lost their homes, friends, savings, and the possibility to speak and hear their own language… We hope that the idea of establishing a club for seniors in your local community may be inspiring to you. Your newly-established club can make old people happier, as it can become a place where they feel part of a community, make new friends, and do fun-filled activities in a safe and inclusive environment.
