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After Emma Heming Willis revealed that her husband Bruce Willis is living in a separate home from her and their children, criticism and “debates online” followed about how she decided to care for her partner with dementia. In an interview with Good Morning America, Heming further explained her decision against any nay-sayers who might not have had to cope with a loved one with a serious disease. She shared how living separately “was the safest and best decision — not just for Bruce, but also for our two young girls” — they have two daughters together, ages 13 and 11. “And, you know, it’s really not up for a debate,” Heming continues. “Now I know that Bruce has the best care 100% of the time. His needs are met 100% of the time, as well as our two young daughters’. So I’m not gonna take a vote on that.”
For caregivers and their families, the changes that come with having a loved one with dementia can be extremely difficult, especially for young children. Heming says that loud noises can be a trigger for Willis, making it difficult for their daughters to have play dates. Dementia can cause memory loss with a possibility of aggressive behavior due to confusion as it progresses. “And I’ll say that dementia plays out differently in every household. If you’ve seen one case of dementia, it’s one case of dementia,” she shares. “So you have to do what is right for your family and what is going to keep your loved one safe.” She confirms that as a family, they visit Willis regularly, spending meals with him. Heming concludes, “Everything just feels a lot calmer, more at ease now.”
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