Actor Bruce Willis was recently seen publicly for the first time since his frontotemporal dementia diagnosis. Last month, the star’s family announced he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Here is all to know about Bruce’s condition.
Bruce Was Spotted During His First Public Outing After His Diagnosis
The 67-year-old actor was spotted on Thursday for the first time since his latest diagnosis. Some videos and photos were obtained by DailyMail . The photo showed the Sixth Sense actor with two friends in Santa Monica, Calif.
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Bruces Appearance
For his outing, the actor wore a grey jacket paired with a blue shirt and black pants. Bruce also added a blue hat and black watch. The outing came two weeks after the actor’s family announced he had frontotemporal dementia. It is a disease that causes balance problems and slowed movements among others.
Bruce’s Family Initially Announced He Had Aphasia
On February 16, Bruce’s family announced he was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. Before the news, the actor was diagnosed with another condition. Last March, the actor’s family announced he was diagnosed with aphasia.
What Aphasia Means
Aphasia is a condition that can affect a person’s ability to write, understand, and speak. At the time of the announcement, the Red actor’s family announced he would be stepping away from acting.
Bruce’s Family Announce He Was Diagnosed With Frontotemporal Dementia
The actor’s family gave an update on the actor’s condition after he was diagnosed with aphasia last fall. In the statement, the family announced that the actor had Frontotemporal dementia. FTD was a common form of dementia among people under 60.
They Were Relieved About The Clear Diagnosis
The statement was signed by the actor’s wife, Emma Hemming Willis, his ex-wife Demi Moore and his five children. The statement was also published by the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) . The family noted that while the least development in his failing health was “painful,” they felt a relief that the diagnosis was finally clear.
The Diagnosis Takes A Long Time
The address also showed that FTD often takes a long period for the diagnosis to be properly detected and because of this, it is more likely to “be prevalent than we know.” Bruce’s family shared that the statement was a way to reach out to more people and have them sensitized about awareness and research.
The Thanked Fans For Support
Bruce Willis’ values were also highlighted as something that drove them to reach out to the public. The family also thanked fans for the outpouring of love and understanding as they adjusted to their new reality. The statement concluded, “Your continued compassion, understanding, and respect will enable us to help Bruce live as full a life as possible.”
Symptoms Of Frontotemporal Dementia
Bruce’s family shared one of the symptoms of the actor’s diagnosis during their statement. They said the Looper actor was having difficulties communicating. However, there are more symptoms of FTD.
Experts On Symptoms Of The Ailment
According to Mayo Clinic , the symptoms include loss of inhibition and muscle weakness. The other symptoms enumerated include poor coordination, difficulty in walking, difficulty stringing words together, mistakes in sentence construction, loss of empathy lack of interest, loss of interpersonal skills, no longer knowing the meaning of words, and others.
More Information About Frontotemporal Dementia
Frontotemporal dementia is a group of disorders that can cause damage to nerve cells in the brain’s frontal lobes. It can also cause nerve cell damage in the brain’s temporal lobes.
The Cause Of FTD
The cause of FTD is not well known, however, genetics do play a role. A third of all FTD cases are linked to a family history of the disease. As of now, there is no cure and there is no treatment that can reduce the enhancement of the disease.
Treatment Options For FTD
However, there are some treatment options for the disease. They include physical therapy, certain medications, and speech therapy. While they belong to the Dementia ailment group, FTD is different from Alzheimer’s which is the most common type of dementia. While memory loss is prevalent in the latter, the former mostly causes speech impairment.
Bruce’s Family Comment On His Positive Attitude
In their statement on February 16, the actor’s family also talked about his positive attitude. The family shared that the Unbreakable actor believed in using his voice to help others in the world.
Keeping His Values On
They continued that he loved to raise awareness about important issues. The family statement continued that if he could now, he would want to bring global awareness to FTD.
On What Bruce Would Have Wanted
The actor would also want to connect with those dealing with the disease. The statement read, “Bruce has always found joy in life — and has helped everyone he knows to do the same. It has meant the world to see that sense of care echoed back to him and to all of us.”
Hemming Shares Her Experience Of Caring For Bruce
The Sin City actor’s wife Hemming opened up about her experience caring for Bruce. On February 28, she shared on Instagram that she met with dementia treatment expert, Teepa Snow. Heming revealed that she discussed with Snow about caring for Bruce.
She Noted How Snow Had Been Helpful
Heming revealed that Snow was a skilled leader and was a gift to their family. Snow also commented on Hemming’s post sharing that she was doing a remarkable job caring for the actor. The specialist commended Heming for creating a “place, space, and life that continues to provide him with what he needs to live well.”
FTD Can Be Tough On Caregivers Too
She relayed that FTD was never easy, but the right programming and support helped to continue living life. She commended the entire family for their hard work and dedication in helping the ailing action film icon.
