Bruce Willis Has Dementia
In March 2022, the family of Bruce Willis announced that the veteran actor, at age 67, would be retiring because he was suffering from aphasia*. A year later, in February 2023, the same family members (wife Emma, ex-wife Demi Moore, and children Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn) released a statement that Bruce Willis’s condition had progressed, and he now has the more specific diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD.)
“We know in our hearts that – if he could today – he would want to respond by bringing global attention and a connectedness with those who are also dealing with this debilitating disease and how it impacts so many individuals and their families.”
Click on the link for the full statement, which further explains aphasia and FTD.
https://www.theaftd.org/mnlstatement23/
* Aphasia is a disorder that affects how you communicate. It can impact your speech and the way you write and understand both spoken and written language.
Frontotemporal Dementia – FTD
Dr. Jonathan Reiner, CNN Medical Analyst, gave a concise description of Bruce Willis’s current condition on CNN Tonight, the highlights of which are:
- “FTD is an umbrella term that describes a series of conditions that ultimately result in the loss of neural tissue in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. Those are parts of the brain that form certain behaviors, process hearing, and form memories.”
- “Ultimately, it results in clinical conditions that can … radically change the behavior of a patient or result in difficulty communicating.”
- “Last year, when the family reported on Mr. Willis’s condition, that was the first clue that he had FTD, which often involves some form of aphasia.”
- “FTD is a disease with multiple causes, like genetics, and can run in families. It’s the most common form of dementia in “young” people, 45-65 years of age. People can live with the disease for years which is sometimes a curse.”
Click for more on the CNN segment with Dr. Reiner –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSeVPkzQDlM&t=206s.
As detailed in WFC’s December 2021 blog: Alzheimer’s Disease: Myths, Stigmas, Hope, the Alzheimer’s Association distinguishes between the meta umbrella of dementia vs. the more specific Alzheimer’s disease:
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- Dementia describes symptoms associated with a decline in memory, reasoning, or other thinking skills.
- Many different types of dementia exist, and many conditions cause it.
- Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60-80% of dementia cases.
-Alzheimer’s Association
Especially poignant about Dr. Reiner’s description of FTD is that he calls it a disease suffered by what he terms young people – that is, 45–65-year old’s. The Mayo Clinic reports that the percentage of people with Alzheimer’s dementia increases dramatically with age:
- 3% of people aged 65-74,
- 17% of people aged 75-84, and
- 32% of people aged 85 or older have Alzheimer’s dementia.
Support for Bruce Willis’s Condition
The reaction to the Bruce Willis news has been universally sad and supportive. It’s important to distinguish that he is not yet in the full throes of Alzheimer’s disease. His family is taking the occasion of his FTD and popularity to raise awareness of the disease among the general public and advocate for prevention and care. The Hollywood star’s celebrity status is an opportunity to push dementia activism forward to understand the illness better and encourage broad research funding.
Celebrities can tremendously influence the knowledge we retain, the attitudes we adopt, and the decisions we make, including those that affect our health. Cause-related Influencers include athletes, entertainment stars, media personalities, politicians, religious leaders, and socialites.
Among the “Top Ten Philanthropists” (identified by Luxuo, January 2023,) most are familiar names or bona fide celebrities:
- Warren Buffet
- Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates
- George Soros
- Michael Bloomberg
- Mackenzie Scott (ex-spouse of Jeff Bezos)
- Charles Feeney
- George & Betty Moore (Intel)
- Jim & Marilyn Simons
- Phil Knight (NIKE)
- Mark Zuckerberg & Priscilla Chan (Meta)
Celebrity and Dementia/Alzheimer’s Activism
Focusing on Dementia and Alzheimer’s specifically, the Top Five Celebrities associated with the cause are:
- Scott Conant (Chef, Restauranteur): Keep Memory Alive
- Victor Garber: actionalz.org
- Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller-Rogen: Hilarity for Charities
- Maria Shriver: The Alzheimer’s Project
- Rick Steves: Caregiving in America
(Source: alzheimers.net)
Seth Rogen and Lauren Miller-Rogen
Most visible among the celebrities advocating for dementia and Alzheimer’s research are Seth Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller-Rogen. Ms. Miller-Rogen’s mother experienced early-onset Alzheimer’s at age fifty-five when Lauren was twenty-five. The couple founded Hilarity For Charity in 2012 — a national non-profit organization on a mission to care for families facing Alzheimer’s disease, educate young people about living a brain-healthy life, and activate the next generation of Alzheimer’s advocates.
Hilarity For Charity (HFC)
The Couple lays out their mission to raise awareness, change behavior, and support prevention efforts:
“Let’s face it—bringing up Alzheimer’s doesn’t usually make you the life of the party. Most people don’t want to think about dementia until they have to. “
“If we can get people talking about Alz early on and change their behavior, we can actually prevent up to 40% of cases! And when we say change, We’re talking healthy lifestyle adjustments like better sleep, breathing exercises, and delicious new recipes.”
“And we’re right here to help. Already caring for someone with dementia? We’re here for you too. That’s why we’ve packed this site with support because while there isn’t a cure (yet!), there is care.”
WFC and Dementia Care
WFC Founder Glenn Lane’s interest in dementia and Alzheimer’s is personal. He experienced the devastating effects Alzheimer’s has on one’s family up close 10+ years ago. It became one of the foundational motivations for opening Westchester Family Care.
From our December 2021 blog: Alzheimer’s Disease: Myths, Stigmas, Hope.
“Our story starts the day my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. My family and I felt the vulnerability, devastation, and overwhelming feelings as we began to understand the disease and find the best home care assistance. A short time later, my mom and aunt were also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and we quickly realized what works for one does not work for everyone. That’s when my family and I formed Westchester Family Care.”
– Founder/CEO Glenn Lane
Click for the full blog:
https://westchesterfam.wpenginepowered.com/alzheimers-disease/
For WFC’s In-Home Dementia Care Guide, click below:
https://westchesterfam.wpenginepowered.com/in-home-dementia-care-guide
Bruce Willis: The Long Goodbye
The last word on Bruce Willis’s condition is one of hope, as expressed in the family’s February 2023 statement:
“Bruce has always found joy in life — and has helped everyone he knows to do the same. Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.”
Westchester Family Care is an independent in-home care provider specializing in making the home a safe and accommodating place for your aging family members, no matter the condition.
Our extensive network of professionals and issue-specific specialists are ready to help you maintain a healthy quality of life.
Contact WFC for an immediate family need or when planning for future needs: