Emma Heming Willis is urging her fans to talk to their doctors about their “brain health”.
Emma Heming Willis is urging her fans to talk to their doctors about their ‘brain health’
The 45-year-old model is devoting her life to caring for her dementia-stricken husband Bruce Willis, 68, and made the call after admitting to her followers she was “not good” as she struggles with life as the ‘Die Hard’ star’s carer.
In her latest Instagram message, she reposted an advertisement directed at women that said: “10 questions every woman should ask their doctor about brain health”.
It included the first question from the quiz which was: “What lifestyle habits will protect my brain health throughout life?”
Emma said: “This is going to be an interesting series to follow! It’s so important to talk to your doctor about brain health because I’m pretty sure he’s not addressing it with you.”
Emma, who has daughters Mabel, 11, and Evelyn, nine, with Bruce, posted her plea a day after saying she was struggling with her journey as a carer.
She also urged fellow “care partners” to “look for something beautiful” in their otherwise “hard,” “stressful” days and send her photos of their lives.
Emma added in her Instagram post: “I know it looks like I’m out living my best life, (but) I have to make a conscious effort every single day to live the best life that I can. I do that for myself, I do that for our two children and (I do that for) Bruce, who would not want me to live any other way.
“So I don’t want it to be misconstrued that I’m good, ’cause I’m not. I’m not good.”
The model said her thinking can often become “doom and gloom” and said putting her “best foot forward” is a daily task that “does not come to (her) easily”.
Emma added: “When we are not looking after ourselves, we cannot look after anyone that we love.”
In March, Emma marked her 14th wedding anniversary to Bruce by posting photos and a video to mark happy moments since they got hitched.
Alongside a photo of a bouquet of flowers she received from a friend, Emma wrote on her Instagram: “Today marks 14 years of marriage to the greatest love of my life. I woke with my heart full but what my mind kept going back to was another person’s act of kindness yesterday I wanted to share as it inspired the heck out of me.
“In passing at a school event for our children, I mentioned to my friend that our anniversary was tomorrow.
“Cut to, I get a text from my friend later that day that said she left ‘a little something’ for me at my door. It was this sweet bouquet of flowers (pictured) with a note that said Happy Anniversary amongst other things.
“It got me thinking about how hard these types of ‘special occasions’ can be on caregivers.
“When usually our person would acknowledge the event, now their changing brains just can’t. And that is what it is.
“So my point is this. If you know someone that is looking after someone else, don’t ask what you can do, just do. This random act of kindness will honestly stay with me for a long time.”
Hours later, Emma shared a video shot by Bruce’s ex-wife Demi Moore of her and the actor renewing their vows on their 10th wedding anniversary.
Bruce marked turning 68 on March 19 while surrounded by his children Rumer, 34, Scout, 32, and Tallulah, 29, who he has with his 60-year-old actress ex Demi.
The actor retired from acting last year due to the brain disorder aphasia affecting his ability to understand language, and in another update on his health last month, his family said he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, which affects behaviour, problem-solving, planning and emotions.
Tagged in Bruce Willis Demi Moore Rumer Willis