Rumer Willis, one of three daughters Bruce Willis had with Demi Moore, has offered a rare, personal perspective on living with a parent who has dementia.
Willis said a person with the condition can seem to exist in a near-constant state of contentment. "What's interesting when you have a family member with dementia is that he is happy. Given the circumstances, it's as good as it could be," she told PEOPLE.
She said that when she sees her father, he recognizes her, sees her and her daughter Louetta, and starts to smile. "So there is still so much love, joy and tenderness. And in that sense, I would say that is a huge win. Just the fact that we still have him with us, you know?" she added.
Living with an unpredictable disease
Willis explained that daily life with dementia feels like a mystery and can present an unknown challenge each day, since the disease affects every person differently. Because of that unpredictability, she said she does not take any of the time she spends with her father for granted.
"The most important thing for me is that I feel immense gratitude that I have this time with him, however many years that may be," she said.
She also expressed gratitude that her father's overall condition remains good. "I'm grateful that he generally seems to be doing very well and, given everything we're dealing with, that our family remains so loving and united," she noted.
Bruce Willis' diagnosis and Rumer's new health partnership
Bruce Willis, the actor best known for the Die Hard franchise, was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023. The condition affects the brain's frontal and temporal lobes and can alter personality, behavior and language.
Having seen firsthand how significant the effects of frontotemporal dementia can be, Rumer Willis said she decided to partner with Function, a health service that offers more than 160 advanced lab tests, imaging scans and specialized health assessments.
