"Mother Can't Recognize Me Anymore" Dementia Families Cry Twice Due to COVID-19

Former basketball player Ha Seung-jin / Photo by YouTube channel 'Ha Seung-jin' video capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Eun-young] Former basketball player Ha Seung-jin shed tears, saying, "Since visits were restricted due to COVID-19, my mother with dementia no longer recognizes me." This has raised concerns that the ongoing COVID pandemic is triggering red flags for the mental health of dementia patients and their families.

On the 4th, a video titled "What I Gained and Lost as an Athlete: The Untold Story of My Mother" was uploaded on the YouTube channel 'Ha Seung-jin'.

In the video, Ha Seung-jin confessed, "Living as an athlete, I lost my family. Athletes spend a lot of time outside. Before I got married, my older sister was also an athlete, and my father was working, so my mother was alone. Being alone at home, she suffered from depression and had a hard time."

He continued, "The reason I say I lost my family is because my mother later developed dementia. Due to COVID-19, hospital visits were banned, so I couldn't see her often, and now she doesn't recognize me," wiping away tears as he said, "It breaks my heart when I think of my mother."

He revealed, "My sister and I feel guilty about my mother having dementia," adding, "Although I seem to live happily, I also have at least one worry that everyone carries."

Netizens responded to Ha Seung-jin's heartbreaking story with comments such as, "My heart aches so much," and "My mother is also a dementia patient; it reminds me of her."

The hardships of a family member of a dementia patient posted on an online community [Image source = Screenshot from an online community]

Meanwhile, as the prevalence of dementia steadily increases in South Korea, attention is focusing on the hardships faced by patients and their suffering families. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic began last year, cultural centers, dementia relief centers, and senior citizen associations have closed, reducing social and outdoor activities for dementia patients and exacerbating their difficulties.

In fact, recently on online communities, more families of dementia patients have been voicing complaints such as, "I used to visit every weekend, but since I couldn't due to COVID-19, the depression worsened," and "Since they can't go to senior centers and stay only at home, they are showing stranger behaviors."

In clinical settings, cases have been reported where dementia patients who could not visit dementia relief centers after the COVID-19 outbreak stayed at home and experienced cognitive decline.

In response, in July, the Korean Dementia Association announced guidelines titled "COVID-19 Response to Protect Dementia Patients." It advises that even if elders stay at home, they should avoid oversleeping or napping excessively and maintain a regular daily routine. It is recommended to continue regular cognitive activities considering their interests and actively use non-face-to-face programs such as telephone counseling from local dementia relief centers.

Maintaining regular contact with close people and being careful not to be overwhelmed by negative feelings, such as obsessively following COVID-19 related news, is also important.

Professor Lee Chan-nyeong, General Secretary of the Korean Dementia Association and a neurologist at Korea University Anam Hospital Brain Neuro Center, said, "If going out is anxiety-inducing, help develop indoor hobbies like Hwatu (Korean card game) or painting," adding, "If frequent meetings are not possible, expanding reduced social interactions by checking in via phone calls can also help prevent dementia or slow symptom worsening."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.