Demi Moore has opened up on the difficulty of watching former husband Bruce Willis’ health deteriorate due to his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis
Oscar nominated actress Demi Moore has candidly opened up about the “difficulty” her family has faced following Bruce Willis’ dementia diagnosis two years ago.
The Die Hard star, 70, who shares three kids with Demi, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. The disease has left the actor’s health deteriorating and his current wife, Emma Heming Willis, recently revealed she made the hard decision to move him into a care home for temporary respite.
And Demi, who was married to Bruce between 1987 and 2000, has confessed it has been tough watching her ex’s struggles pan out. She told The Oprah Podcast: “It’s difficult. It’s hard to see somebody who was so vibrant and strong and so directed shift into this other parts of themselves.
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“But, my particular perspective is, one, I really always say it’s so important just to meet them where they’re at. Don’t have an expectation of them needing to be who they were or who you want them to be.
“And when you do that I find that there is an incredible sweetness and something that’s soft and tender and loving. Perhaps it is more playful and childlike in certain sense because of how much more caretaking they need.”
Her words come as Emma was forced to defend her actions to provide Bruce with a second home that provides 24-hour care for his condition. Speaking out after the backlash, the 47-year-old model and entrepreneur who has been caring for the Die Hard star since his family announced in 2022 that he was stepping away from acting due to health issues, said he was staying nearby.
“It was one of the hardest decisions that I’ve had to make so far,” she admitted. “But I knew, first and foremost, Bruce would want that for our daughters. You know, he would want them to be in a home that was more tailored to their needs, not his needs.”
She confessed to making the decision after realising that the noise and disruption of everyday life with the kids could make Bruce agitated. Emma added this meant their two daughters were not able to have friends over for play dates and had to constantly monitor their noise levels.
“It is a house that is filled with love, and warmth, and care, and laughter,” she added. “And it’s been beautiful to see that, to see how many of Bruce’s friends continue to show up for him, and they bring in life, and fun.”
And it’s an opinion that Demi shared too. She has remained close with Bruce and his new family following their own relationship breakdown. “There is no road map for how to deal with this,” Demi said.
“Obviously, being the ex-wife – even though our family is very connected – is an interesting position. So much fell on Emma to really figure this whole thing out.
“The most beautiful thing, and she talks about this in the book, was recognising the importance for caregivers, that they have to take care of themselves. If they don’t put that time into making sure that they’re okay, they can’t show up for anyone else.”
Demi continued: “I have so much compassion for Emma in this, being a young woman. There’s no way that anybody could have anticipated where this was going to go. I really think she’s done a masterful job.”
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Source: Mirror
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