Fr Noel O’Neill writes about the impact COVID-19 restrictions have had on the intellectually disabled in South Korea. Due to the spread of the Omicron variant, care centres like Emmaus were ordered to shut their doors in order to try to stem the spread of the virus. That meant Emmaus’ clients had to be cared for in their family homes. “One poor mother was so stressed out caring 24/7 for her 25-year-old severely disabled son that she made the terrible decision to end both their lives.”
Photo by Fr Noel O'Neill
For the first 18 months of COVID-19 both South Korea and Hong Kong did such a good job in managing the spread of the virus that the two countries were looked upon as success stories.
But the number of cases shot up in both countries when they entered the second year of struggling with the pandemic. Prior to Presidential elections the Korean government relaxed social distancing, prompting criticism that it was a political move to secure votes for the governments party candidate. The net result was the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant.
Because of Omicron the city office ordered that Emmaus centres for the intellectually disabled be closed meaning that our disabled people had to be cared for in their family homes 24/7. It was hard when you had both parents working. It meant one had to stay home to care for their disabled child.
Being confined to the apartment all day is very frustrating and challenging for carers. One mother was so stressed out caring for her 25-year-old severely disabled son that she made the terrible decision to end both their lives.
The spread of the COVID19 and the Omicron variant were extremely challenging times for the intellectually disabled person themselves. Severely intellectually disabled people have no comprehension of the dangers of the virus. They do not understand the need for social distancing, the need for wearing of face masks, or the need for frequent washing of the hands. Carers need to have special skills and techniques to help them become aware of all those demands.
Photo by Fr Noel O'Neill
Emmaus provides residential services for 60 people, spread over 15 group homes. In normal times during the evenings, they would be going to the bowling alley, visiting the health club, going to the karaoke hall, shopping at the local supermarket. Because of the upsurge of the virus, restrictions and caution forbade those activities.
However, thanks to our Columban benefactors we were able to overcome those stormy times, by having professional instructors run art and crafts programs in the group homes.
As they began to update their photo albums, you could see that they relived the excitement and thrill they experienced when they rode the bus to the peak of the second highest mountain in Korea, or the sadness they felt as they looked at a photo of Myeong Sek’s funeral Mass.
Myeong Sek was the ‘Onnee’ (big sister) who was always smiling. A tiny fragile woman, who could not read or write, who had no concept of time or money, but was loved by all.
In the group home next door are four men with intellectual disabilities and none of whom can hear or speak. For 20-30 years, they had suffered physical and sexual abuse, while living in a notoriously infamous institution, which was closed down by the government after the media exposed their crimes.
It was as good as a tonic for me to drop by during the pandemic and join with them as they played indoor mini bowling or help them as they put flower seedlings into pots…
Throughout the pandemic we insisted that our people living in the group homes refrain from going to the parish church as they were so vulnerable. They watched the Sunday Mass on TV. There are four very fervent middle-aged women with Down’s Syndrome living in one of Emmaus’ group homes.
I am sure that Jesus smiled when He saw them go up to the front of the TV and put out their hands to receive the host as the priest was giving out Holy Communion.
Perhaps it was the same kind of smile he gave the two Emmaus disciples who recognised Him in the breaking of bread.
Columban Fr Noel O'Neill has been a missionary in Korea since 1957.
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