How Bruce Willis’s Wife Wants to Keep Him Comfortable Through His Dementia

People
year ago

Bruce Willis and Emma Heming first met in 2007 while they were both working out at their mutual trainer’s gym. 2 years later, they tied the knot and now have 2 beautiful daughters together. However, in 2023, it was announced that Willis suffers from dementia, and his blended family has come together to support him.

Heming lovingly stands by her husband’s side and offers him her unconditional support as they navigate this difficult journey, and here’s how she’s doing it.

Emma Heming Willis does everything she can to learn more about the FTD condition.

With the help of dementia specialists, Heming put together a dementia care toolbox. While the condition affects everyone differently, the box is designed to give sufferers hope for the future, inspire them with real-life experiences, and offer ideas to improve their life’s quality.

Dementia tool kits often contain 5 themes of evidence-based resources:

  • Stay safe and well: For instance, a sign in the kitchen can remind you to wash your hands, or a sign at the door tells you not to forget your keys, etc.
  • Stay connected: Make a list of people to call with a set schedule for each by setting speed-dial numbers on your phone or trying different ways of staying in touch with loved ones, be it through letters or cards, Zoom calls, FaceTime, etc.
  • Keep a sense of purpose: For example, you can put together a to-do list in the evening that contains a plan for the next day.
  • Stay active: Get plenty of daylight and fresh air, dance to your favorite songs, and have a balance of stimulating and relaxing activities.
  • Stay positive: Focus on the things you can do, and if you’re feeling anxious, do some breathing exercises or listen to relaxing music. If days get hard, talk it out with a friend or loved one.

Emma Heming Willis begs photographers to leave Bruce Willis alone while he’s out and about.

After the news of his FTD (frontotemporal dementia) diagnosis became public, and Bruce Willis hung out with a few friends for a coffee, paparazzi tried to get closer to the actor in order to grab a couple of good shots of him and ask him questions.

Heming called them out, sharing that people still need to be educated about how to behave around people suffering from dementia. She shared, “To the photographers who are trying to get exclusives of my husband, just keep your space. I know this is your job but maybe keep your space. Please don’t be yelling at my husband, ask him how he’s doing, the yippee ki-yay. Just don’t do it. Give him space, and allow our family to get from point A to point B safely.

Heming’s goal is to raise awareness around the life-changing condition that is FTD.

“If you are someone that is looking after someone with dementia, you know how difficult and stressful it can be to take them out in the world and just to navigate them safely, even to just get a cup of coffee,” she shared.

Heming is always going to advocate for Willis. “[I want to] raise awareness around FTD and for the caregivers who are unsung heroes out there. Then I’m going to turn the grief and sadness and turn it into something good,” she candidly said. “I just want my husband to participate in his life to the fullest.

Preview photo credit emmahemingwillis / Instagram

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She seems like she's doing an amazing job thus far with advocating for Bruce and trying to keep him active and safe. I hope that they receive cooperation from the paparazzi and fans when they see Bruce in public. I hope they continue to receive the support they need and wish them the best possible outcome during this process.

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