Recommendations of the Editorial team
Bruce Willis now lives in a separate single-storey house, far from his family, but with all-round-clock care as part of his dementia care. This was revealed by his wife Emma Heming Willis in the new ABC show “Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey”.
Difficult time for the family
She explained that the move was “one of the most difficult decisions” that she had to make as a caregiver. Nevertheless, she thought it was necessary to create Bruce Willis a safe, calm and barrier -free home. “I knew Bruce would primarily want that for our daughters,” she said. “Bruce would want to live in a house that is more tailored to their needs, not on his.”
Another reason for the step was that dementia influenced the life of the two daughters (13 and 11 years old). Noise and chaos could have triggered Bruce Willi’s unrest, which is why Heming Willis restricted the children’s game agencies and overnight stays. “Not only I was isolated, I insulated our whole family. The girls too – and that was intentional. It was a difficult time, really a very difficult time,” said Emma Heming Willis.
Bruce Willis’ new home is in the immediate vicinity, so that the family continues to see him frequently, often at breakfast or dinner. “It is a house full of love, warmth, care and laughter,” emphasized Heming Willis.
Diagnosis and current condition
Bruce Willis received the diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia two years ago. According to Heming Willis, he is “really good”, even if “his brain lets him down”. She added: “The language disappears, but we have learned to adapt. We found a way of communicating with him – just in a different way.”