Care home blessing or exorcism?

Church members ‘‘removing demons’’ from a disability care home left vulnerable residents distressed, a staff member says.

The support worker said he was shocked by the incident in a Nelson home for those with high and complex needs and believed it was an exorcism. He later made an official complaint.

However, a Nelson Marlborough Health investigation concluded it was a ‘‘house blessing’’ that was not targeted at anyone, and the church involved said it was designed ‘‘to lift the spiritual oppressive atmosphere’’ at the property.

The incident occurred at a Nelson Disability Support Services (DSS) home. It’s the latest in a series of revelations about care and management behaviour in DSS homes, including a current investigation into a resident badly scalded in a bath at a different home this year.

Support worker Matt, who did not want his real name used, said two men from the Richmond Baptist Church arrived at the house in March, 2017. He was told they had been invited by the house manager.

Matt said one of the church visitors placed his hands on the head of a resident and told her she was forgiven for her sins. Another woman who had crystals in her bedroom was told to remove them as they were a ‘‘gateway to the devil’’.

He said the church members were yelling about removing demons from the house and one man was crying loudly and seemed to be speaking in tongues.

‘‘At the end of it, when everyone was in a state of shock, there were people crying, visibly distraught. They didn’t comfort anybody, at the end these people were more distressed than they were before.’’

Another support worker in the home also recalled the church members saying the crystals were a ‘‘gateway for the devil and demonic spirits’’.

She said she felt the service users were ‘‘exposed to risk’’ and their rights were ignored.

But another worker present said in a statement that she did not want to make a complaint about the blessing because she didn’t see anything wrong with it and thought it was a good idea.

Matt said he felt disturbed and shocked about what had happened and afterwards felt ashamed he hasn’t done something to stop it. He had only been in the job for just over a week and it took him by surprise.

He raised the incident with the union months later which led to an investigation by Nelson Marlborough Health.

But Matt said he was never spoken to about what happened that day, and neither were the other support workers present.

Last December he received a letter from Nelson Marlborough Health saying it had investigated the ‘‘alleged incident’’ and was satisfied with ‘‘the explanation provided that the intention was for a house blessing’’.

Matt strongly disagreed: ‘‘It was not a house blessing, no matter how far you stretch your imagination. It was a terror tactic, I can’t adequately explain how awful it was.’’

He was later told by the health board that he was the subject of an investigation into allegations he had bullied staff and would no longer be working at the house. But the claims were found to be ‘‘unsubstantiated’’ and he was cleared to continue working at a different house.

Nelson Marlborough Health general manager of mental health, addictions and disability support

‘‘They didn’t comfort anybody, at the end these people were more distressed than they were before.’’ Support worker Matt

services Jane Kinsey said the request for a house blessing was made by service users in the house.

Kinsey said blessings could be organised at a manager’s discretion, arranged when a new house was opened, after a bereavement or at the request of service users.

New guidelines for blessings within the service had since been developed to ensure they met ‘‘appropriate protocol and expectations’’.

Kinsey said the investigation into last year’s incident was carried out with written statements obtained from those who were present.

‘‘As a result of the investigation NMH was satisfied that the intention was for a house blessing and it was not targeted at anyone directly.

‘‘It is regrettable that staff were put in a position they did not understand and experienced discomfort due to elements of the blessing.

‘‘In the future a blessing will only be conducted with those who specifically request it and will be arranged through our processes.’’

Richmond Baptist Church pastor David Jensen said the blessing was carried out by another pastor and a mature church member.

He said the pastor was approached by a DSS staff member who was part of the church family.

‘‘The reason behind this was there had been some ongoing tensions among folk in that home and also many of the service users had felt there was a pervasively oppressive atmosphere lingering over the home.’’

Jensen said the two men prayed throughout the house, ‘‘asking God to lift the spiritual oppressive atmosphere and replace it with his love and blessing’’.

He could not comment on the specifics, but said the Bible taught that ‘‘evil supernatural entities’’ were sometimes given access to people through occult objects.

‘‘Crystals are not supernatural, they are just beautiful material objects and there is nothing inherently evil about them – however if faith is placed in a crystal for healing or other spiritual purposes then it can open up a door for demonic activity.’’

He said after the blessing had taken place the church received positive feedback, ‘‘things seemed happier in the home and the oppressive atmosphere had been lifted’’.

An email from a family member of a resident, seen by Stuff, said they supported the decision for the house to be blessed and since the event, the resident had been happier.