The Power of Unconditional Love
- Actress Demi Moore and her ex-husband Bruce Willis have displayed an evident unconditional love and friendship since their 2000 divorce, which is truly inspiring to see. Last year, the legendary actor was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which is the most common form of dementia.
- Moore, who shares three daughters with the former action star, has continued to show up for the father of five, who is married to his wife and primary caregiver Emma Heming Willis, with whom he shares two younger daughters.
- When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer or a rare disease like Bruce Willis, it can turn your world upside down. While caring for another person, it’s important to keep taking care of yourself so that you can be of stronger support. It’s a balancing act that sometimes requires therapy to make sure you are properly taking care of your own emotions.
“We love you and are so grateful for you,” the Ghost star, 61, wrote in a sweet birthday tribute for the fellow legend on his 69th birthday last month.
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They appear to be at a wedding, as the girls are all wearing matching satin pink and tulle dresses holding bouquets of flowers while huddled around their dad in his black suit.
Willis remarried in 2009 and shares two younger daughters, Mabel, 12, and Evelyn, 9, with his wife Emma Heming Willis, 48, who is his primary caregiver and close with Moore.
The loving, blended family often posts photos celebrating milestones together, which consistently warms the hearts of their fans.
Caregiving Isn’t Easy — Recognize That You May Need Help
When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer or a rare disease like Bruce Willis, it can turn your world upside down. Your attention will suddenly turn from your job and family to caregiving. And no matter how much you plan for your new role, the enormity of it can take you by surprise.
How to Be a Better Caregiver for Your Loved One
“Caregiving is a huge job. It’s going to impact your health and your physical well-being. It will impact your finances, your social life, your emotions, and your mental energy,” Amy Brown, nurse manager of Gynecologic/Oncology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, previously shared with SurvivorNet.
With caregiving taking up a lot of your personal time away from work, school or other life duties, it’s important to realize that you may need help.
“I learned this the hard way myself,” Brown said. “I have been the caregiver to my dad for 12 years. And I’m a nurse and I’m designed and equipped to handle that, and I tried to do it myself and failed miserably.”
Brown stresses the importance of caring for yourself while you care for your loved one.
“Get sleep, eat well, exercise. Find something that brings you joy every day, whether it is going for a walk, praying, meditating, watching a movie, listening to an audio book, or getting together with friends.”
Though caregiving can be a difficult and sometimes thankless job, it can be very rewarding as well.
“Even though this is not what you signed up for, this is not how you planned your life, and this may be the biggest crisis of your life that you didn’t see coming, it has the potential to be incredibly meaningful,” Brown says.
Bruce Willis’ Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) Diagnosis
Approximately one year after Bruce Willis announced in 2022 that he would be stepping away from acting due to an aphasia [which the NIH describes as “a disorder that results from damage to portions of the brain that are responsible for language diagnosis”], it was revealed the actor is suffering from a rare form of dementia.
Early last year, the dad-of-five’s wife opened up about his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis on Instagram, saying, “Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis.”
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“In the spirit of that, we wanted to give you an update about our beloved husband, father and friend since we now have a deeper understanding of what he is experiencing.”
RELATED: What Is Bruce Willis’ Rare Dementia Diagnosis And How Is His Family Coping?
The statement continued, “Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).
“Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis.”
Learning More About Frontotemporal Dementia
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is the most common type of dementia for people under 60 years old.
FTD is described by Johns Hopkins Medicine as “a group of disorders that occur when nerve cells in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain are lost” that caused the lobes to decrease in size.
The disease can alter changes in a person’s behavior, personality, language, and movement.
“These disorders are among the most common dementias that strike at younger ages,” Johns Hopkins explains. “Symptoms typically start between the ages of 40 and 65, but FTD can strike young adults and those who are older. FTD affects men and women equally.”
Common Types of FTD:
- Frontal variant (affects behavior and personality)
- Primary progressive aphasia (makes it difficult for a person to communicate and affects speech)
- Semantic dementia (affects the ability to use and understand language)
“A less common form of FTD affects movement, causing symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease),” Johns Hopkins adds.
The cause of the disease remains unknown, however, specific subtypes of FTD have been linked to mutations on a few genes.
Symptoms of FTD
Common symptoms of FTD, which start gradually and progress steadily or rapidly, are:
- Behavior and/or dramatic personality changes, such as swearing, stealing, increased interest in sex, or a deterioration in personal hygiene habits
- Socially inappropriate, impulsive, or repetitive behaviors
- Impaired judgment
- Apathy
- Lack of empathy
- Decreased self awareness
- Loss of interest in normal daily activities
- Emotional withdrawal from others
- Loss of energy and motivation
- Inability to use or understand language; this may include difficulty naming objects, expressing words, or understanding the meanings of words
- Hesitation when speaking
- Less frequent speech
- Distractibility
- Trouble planning and organizing
- Frequent mood changes
- Agitation
- Increasing dependence
Symptoms can vary depending on what part of the brain is affected.
“Some people have physical symptoms, such as tremors, muscle spasms or weakness, rigidity, poor coordination and/or balance, or difficulty swallowing,” Johns Hopkins explains. “Psychiatric symptoms, such as hallucinations or delusions, also may occur, although these are not as common as behavioral and language changes.”
Treating FTD
“Today, there is no cure for FTD, and no treatments available to slow or stop the progression of the disease,” the AFTD advises. “However, if you or a family member or loved one are affected, there are important steps that you can take to preserve and maximize quality of life. A growing number of interventions – not limited to medication – can help with managing FTD symptoms.”
Anyone in need of guidance and resources can call AFTD’s HelpLine at 866-507-7222 or email [email protected].
Contributing by SurvivorNet staff.
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