Blind people reveal lockdown strife
ONE-IN-FIVE blind or visually impaired people have not left their homes since March, a new survey has shown.
The survey was carried out by the National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) who have expressed their concern about the physical and mental well-being of people who are blind or visually impaired during the Covid-19 crisis.
According to a survey of 2,000 of the charity’s service users, 50% of respondents indicated that Covid-19 has had a serious negative impact on their mental health, while 75% indicated that they have been unable to meet recommended guidelines on physical activity during the pandemic.
Speaking to the Irish Daily Mail, David Kortukohun, aged 50, said that a major difficulty for people who have reduced sight is loneliness.
Mr Kortukohun, who lives alone in Dublin, has lost much of his sight due to glaucoma. He said lockdown has been a difficult time for him.
‘Loneliness is a problem we endure, when you are visually impaired you become lonely. It is a crisis that affects people with sight loss and you have to be optimistic,’ he said.
To get people suffering from sight loss more active, the NCBI and Vision Sports Ireland are facilitating walks and runs in parks, utilising a long cane and extended tether to ensure physical distance between the runner and their guide.
This makes it possible for the pair to effectively navigate and exercise in outdoor areas and parks whilst communicating around hazards. The programme has been trialled in Dublin and Kildare.
Mr Kortukohun took part in such an event in St Anne’s Park, Raheny, and, with the help of a guide runner, exercised for approximately 50 minutes.
Aaron Mullaniff of the NCBI said: ‘For some blind and vision-impaired people who live alone, the ability to get out and walk, run or cycle is just not possible because of the need for a guide or pilot. With the physical-distancing requirements, physical activity is just not possible for many, and these findings suggest, it’s really taking its toll on our members.
‘Regular physical activity and exercise are vital to support mental health,’ he added.