The daughter of actor Bruce Willis, Tallulah, has discussed the onset of her father's early dementia symptoms, prior to an official diagnosis. In a recent essay, the 29-year-old revealed how Willis' early symptoms included an unresponsiveness that led to difficulties in communication, which the family initially interpreted as Hollywood hearing loss. As a result of her father's diagnosis, Tallulah said that she was forced to confront her own struggles with her health, including an eating disorder. The family has raised awareness of frontotemporal dementia, the condition that Willis faces, via social media.
Tallulah Willis, daughter of actors Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, has written a candid essay for Vogue about her father's frontotemporal dementia diagnosis. She describes noticing inconsistencies in her father's behaviour for several years before his diagnosis and assuming responsibility for his disinterest and unresponsiveness. Willis also divulged her experiences with anorexia and other mental health conditions and admits that she was in too fragile a state to handle her father's illness. Emma Heming Willis, Bruce Willis's wife, has asked the paparazzi to stop taking photographs of him as he can find the flashbulbs disorientating. Earlier this week, Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke about Willis and his illness, calling him a "kind man" and a "great, great star".
Hugh Dennis has entered the Trek26 challenge for the Alzheimer’s Society to raise money for the charity and support those living with Alzheimer’s. The comedian and actor has said normalising the disease and discussing on-screen is key to increasing awareness and removing the stigma attached to it. Dennis played a character with Alzheimer’s in the TV show “Outnumbered” and was inspired by his own grandfather’s experiences with dementia motivated him to get involved with the charity. The “eight treks across breathtaking locations” are happening throughout the UK to support the charity.
Author Olivia Sudjic discusses the similarities between her father's failing memory and her own experiences with addiction and alcohol. Sudjic's father's mental deterioration began to accelerate around the same time that she herself was staying sober. Both her father and herself were suffering from diseases of forgetfulness, with Sudjic noting that addiction is "rooted in the will to forget", making recovery an act of remembering and reconnecting with parts of ourselves that we have lost. In the author's experience, the longer one is sober, the more they realise all the things they have been in denial about.
Sudjic and her mother were well aware of her father’s condition, but they did not want to fully recognise it and therefore participated complicitly in a cover-up. As her father’s memory disintegrated, he began to forget skills and facts, making him at times reliant on Sudjic’s care and attention. The parallels between her father’s loss of memory and herself forgetting the things she did when under the influence are shown when Sudjic talks about the fact she woke up with bruises she couldn’t account for and woke up with friends reciting stories about the previous night which she did not recognise.
As Sudjic got further away from the messiness of life living with addiction, she wondered whether recovery was restrictive in its own way. She frequently felt vulnerable and though she had admitted to her issues, she had nowhere to hide. Sudjic’s story highlights the fragility of memory, dependence on drugs and alcohol and the power of denial in families dealing with issues that are too difficult to accept.
Author Olivia Sudjic discusses the similarities between her father's failing memory and her own experiences with addiction and alcohol. Sudjic's father's mental deterioration began to accelerate around the same time that she herself was staying sober. Both her father and herself were suffering from diseases of forgetfulness, with Sudjic noting that addiction is "rooted in the will to forget", making recovery an act of remembering and reconnecting with parts of ourselves that we have lost. In the author's experience, the longer one is sober, the more they realise all the things they have been in denial about.
Sudjic and her mother were well aware of her father’s condition, but they did not want to fully recognise it and therefore participated complicitly in a cover-up. As her father’s memory disintegrated, he began to forget skills and facts, making him at times reliant on Sudjic’s care and attention. The parallels between her father’s loss of memory and herself forgetting the things she did when under the influence are shown when Sudjic talks about the fact she woke up with bruises she couldn’t account for and woke up with friends reciting stories about the previous night which she did not recognise.
As Sudjic got further away from the messiness of life living with addiction, she wondered whether recovery was restrictive in its own way. She frequently felt vulnerable and though she had admitted to her issues, she had nowhere to hide. Sudjic’s story highlights the fragility of memory, dependence on drugs and alcohol and the power of denial in families dealing with issues that are too difficult to accept.
Dementia causes far more than lapses in recall, writes journalist Kate Kellaway in The Guardian. Her experience caring for her Alzheimer's-stricken mother has highlighted the range of symptoms that the illness can cause, including incontinence, motor skill-related difficulties, sense of taste changes and a loss of perception of thirst. Controllable risk factors are identified as important, with measures such as weight management and exercise to keep blood pressure in check reducing the likelihood of the disease by up to 50%, according to The Lancet Commission. Kellaway nevertheless argues there is no way to entirely avoid the disease and encourages people to be more proactive in fighting it.
Actress Julie Goodyear, best known for her role as Bet Lynch in UK soap Coronation Street, has been diagnosed with dementia, according to her husband Scott Brand. Brand said that Goodyear, who is 81 and a patron of Willow Wood Hospice, had been suffering from forgetfulness for some time. There is no prospect of a reversal of the condition: “her condition will get progressively, and perhaps speedily, worse”, he stated. Goodyear appeared in the soap for over 20 years until 1995, and has since made brief return appearances as well as featuring in a host of reality TV shows.
Former Coronation Street actor Julie Goodyear has been diagnosed with dementia, according to a statement from her husband, Scott Brand. Brand said he and his wife had been “seeking medical advice and assistance, but we now know that there is no hope of a reversal in the situation – and that her condition will get progressively, and perhaps speedily, worse”. Goodyear is best known for playing Bet Lynch on the ITV soap between 1966 and 1995, winning a National Television Award in 1995 and an MBE the following year.
Soap star Julie Goodyear, who played Bet Lynch in Coronation Street, has been diagnosed with dementia, according to her husband, Scott Brand. Mr Brand issued a statement revealing that Goodyear had been suffering forgetfulness for some time, and that her condition would get progressively worse. “We have taken the decision to publicly announce the diagnosis as Julie still loves visiting friends and eating out. Inevitably she is recognised, and fans love to meet her, but she can get confused, particularly if she is tired. I hope people will understand.”
Caregivers for dementia patients require more professional support than is currently available, according to a study by researchers from University College London with funding from the Alzheimer’s Society and support from Marie Curie. The study suggested that 30% of caregivers in England require support, higher than the 10-12% suggested by the public health framework. Caregivers are frequently grieving for those with dementia before their deaths, and researchers fear resources are inadequate to meet this emotion. The researchers urged greater funding, while Marie Curie urged “urgent change” due to the rising prevalence of dementia.
Two Australian doctors have opposed calls to allow people with dementia access to euthanasia, arguing for the provision of more community support instead. In an opinion article, psychiatrist David Ames and geriatrician John Obeid reject the provision of assisted dying for dementia sufferers, warning it could worsen an already stigmatized disease. Ames and Obeid argue that there is already a perception of an overstretched dementia care system with care issues highlighted by an aged care royal commission, and the availability of euthanasia could become a preference of families and governments to provide quick and cheap solutions. Instead, the doctors advocate for greater supports which would including better mental health and care provision, education for staff and families, carer supports, respite services, and more palliative care in nursing homes.
The voluntary assisted dying law is up for review in Victoria, Australia, and many believe that dementia should be a qualifying condition. The disease robs people of their essence and there is a growing sense that, as the most common cause of death for women in Australia and the second most common overall, a way of choosing time of death should be made available. When Mafalda Spessot suffered from Alzheimer’s disease, it robbed her of her memory, continence, and teeth, as well as causing her muscle contractions. During her last 10 years she became unrecognisable and relied on daily spoon-feeding.
Kath Wilkinson, a nursing home resident with an academic background, has updated her advanced care directive to include dementia as a reason for access to voluntary assisted dying if legislation permits. Wilkinson does not want to become a "wanderer" who invades the rooms of others or become aggressive or disruptive. She does not want to be stuck in a princess chair all day, unable to move or communicate or recognise friends or family or be spoon-fed, changed and kept alive for no good reason. She does not want palliative care and has made her choices known to her next of kin. Dementia raises questions about where in the trajectory of illness should the procedure take place. Furthermore, as palliative care does not address cognitive or functional decline, is life measured by quality or presence?
Dr Clyde Ronan points out that the vast majority of people with dementia have a life and that the way in which people with dementia are supported is a measure of our civilisation. Ruth Farr suggests that in a high-quality aged care system every Australian needing aged care services for any ageing-related disability would be placed under the knowledgeable and capable wing of a geriatrician. Marie Nash shares that she watched her aunt die a slow, very undignified death. Ashley Craig observes that the RBA is doing a credible job in its attempt to rein in inflation but that government spending and failure to reduce costs is undermining its efforts. Finally, Peter Drum argues that pubs and restaurants with noisy music and televisions provide a distracting and intrusive cacophony.
The push for voluntary assisted dying laws to be made available for those with dementia in Victoria, Australia is focusing attention on the forthcoming review of the state’s assisted dying laws. Victoria has the country’s most conservative regulations on assisted dying, but some advocates are pushing to allow assisted dying for those with dementia. However, for any expansion of the law to take place, the problem of verifying consent would need to be resolved. Dementia accounts for almost 10% of all deaths in Australia and it is the country’s second leading cause of death after coronary heart disease.
Australian Baby Boomers have responded to claims that they have been financially privileged by stating that they were simply careful with their money and lived within their means. The response comes after an article by Ross Gittins argued that Boomers have benefited from favourable economic conditions and are not doing enough to support the younger generations. However, many Boomers have stated that they paid off their homes, lived on a tight budget, and made sacrifices in order to secure their financial stability. They argue that they should not be blamed for their success and that younger generations need to take responsibility for their own financial situations.
Former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen has died at the age of 70 after a battle with dementia. McQueen, who played for clubs including St Mirren, Leeds United, and Manchester United, was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2021. He won 30 caps for Scotland and played a key role in Leeds United's success in the 1970s, including reaching the European Cup final in 1975. McQueen later joined Manchester United and won the FA Cup in 1983. After retiring as a player, he worked as a coach and pundit. McQueen's family said he had been diagnosed with dementia due to repeated heading of footballs.
Former Scotland defender Gordon McQueen has passed away at the age of 70 after battling dementia. McQueen, who played for St Mirren, Leeds, and Manchester United during his career, was diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2021. He won 30 caps for Scotland and was a key player for Leeds during their successful period in the 1970s. McQueen later joined Manchester United and won the FA Cup in 1983. After retiring, he worked as a coach and pundit and was diagnosed with dementia in February 2021, with his condition believed to be linked to heading footballs.
Euthanasia advocates in Victoria, Australia, are calling for a review of the state's voluntary assisted dying legislation, which they say has become more conservative compared to legislation in other states. The group Dying with Dignity is pushing for the removal of certain restrictions, such as a gag clause preventing physicians from initiating conversations about euthanasia with dying patients. They also want to expand access to the laws for people with shorter life expectancies and those suffering from dementia. Critics argue that the focus should be on improving the quality of life for people with dementia rather than expanding access to euthanasia.
China has launched a three-year campaign to provide early intervention for people with dementia as the country faces the challenge of caring for its rapidly aging population. The campaign aims to raise awareness about dementia, improve identification of patients, and provide training for caregivers. Local governments are encouraged to offer annual screening tests for cognitive impairment to people aged 65 and above, with intervention and treatment provided to those showing early signs of cognitive decline. The campaign is part of the 10-year Healthy China Initiative, which aims to reduce chronic disease and the burden on the health system. China has the highest number of dementia patients in the world, with over 15 million people aged over 60 with the condition. The prevalence of dementia in China is also higher than the global average.
Former music teacher Paul Harvey, who has dementia, has been awarded an OBE for raising over £1.5m ($2.1m) for dementia services. In 2020, Harvey composed a song called "Four Notes" after being given four random notes to play on the piano by his son. The song went viral and was released as a charity single, with proceeds going to the Alzheimer's Society and Music for Dementia. The philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter donated £1m to the charities after being inspired by Harvey's music.
