Emma Heming Willis disclosed that her husband, Bruce Willis, has relocated to a second home apart from their family while managing his frontotemporal dementia. This adjustment, reported in late August, reflects ongoing changes in his care needs, emphasizing how the actor’s living arrangement affects his daily life and family dynamics.
Experts highlight that such moves can influence a patient’s well-being, with familiarity and routine playing key roles in dementia care.
The Importance of Familiar Surroundings for Dementia Patients
Mallory Grivner, a licensed clinical social worker specializing in aging and caregiving, explains that remaining in a familiar home often benefits dementia patients by sustaining their daily routines, which can support independence. However, she notes that relocating away from the family home may provoke feelings of loss and grief, potentially worsening dementia or depressive symptoms.
Grivner emphasizes that decisions about living arrangements depend on factors like available caregivers, the home’s physical setup, care needs, family goals, and financial resources. She advises that families make these choices while the patient can still participate, understanding such plans may evolve over time.
She adds,
“These decisions are challenging, and it is helpful to identify one’s wishes when they are still able to participate in these conversations. It is important to remember that even if it is decided to stay in the home for the duration of the disease, these decisions can and often change. Oftentimes people feel guilty about requiring a placement for a loved one, but caregiving is extremely challenging and taking care of your own needs is important.”
—Mallory Grivner, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Details on Bruce Willis’ Care and Family Impact
The actor’s wife revealed on the ABC special, Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey, that Willis has been living in his own home for some time, where a full-time care team supports him. The couple’s daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, now experience a more balanced routine as the children continue visiting their father regularly while being able to socialize more freely.
Heming Willis described how moving Bruce into a separate house was intensely difficult but necessary, especially considering his sensitivity to noise and the progressing symptoms of frontotemporal dementia, such as difficulties with language and comprehension.
She said,
“We have two young children, and it was just important that they had a home that supported their needs and that Bruce could have a place that supported his needs … The kids can have playdates and sleepovers [again] and not have to walk around tiptoeing.”
—Emma Heming Willis, Wife of Bruce Willis
Expert Views on Separate Living Arrangements for Dementia Care
Dr. Kylie Meyer, a gerontologist and assistant professor at the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University, explains that it is not unusual for individuals with dementia to live separately from their primary caregiver, often in assisted living or memory care facilities. However, she notes that having a second home is less typical due to financial constraints.
Meyer advises that families tailor living arrangements to their resources and needs, recognizing when safety concerns make relocation necessary. She points out that home modifications can help, but are not always feasible, and caregiver well-being must also be considered due to the demanding nature of dementia care.
She notes,
“Families should do what makes most sense for their unique situations. But there are situations [where] can be disadvantageous: when a home environment isn’t safe, it may be time to consider a move.”
Meyer further comments,
“While there are many home modifications that can make a home safer for someone living with dementia, this might not be feasible for every family. We also must think about the caregiver: how does this living arrangement affect them? Especially with spousal caregivers, many types of dementia can seriously impact their ability to get a good night’s sleep, which is so needed to take care of themselves and the care recipient.”
—Dr. Kylie Meyer, Gerontologist
She adds that reassessing living options often becomes necessary when the health or safety of either the caregiver or the person with dementia is at risk.
Safety Considerations in the Home Environment for Dementia Patients
Certified caregiving consultant Nancy Treaster stresses that safety within the living space is paramount for families caring for dementia patients, whether they remain at home or move elsewhere. Dementia patients often wander and may encounter hazards, requiring homes to be adapted much like “childproofing” an adult environment.
Treaster states,
“People with dementia often wander and may get into dangerous situations, so families must effectively ‘childproof’ their home for an adult-sized person. This means limiting access to external doors and certain rooms with childproof door covers or locks, securing knives in locked cabinets, putting childproof covers on stove knobs, encasing thermostats, potentially locking refrigerators — and blocking off stairs.”
She adds,
“Every home requires a comprehensive safety evaluation.”
—Nancy Treaster, Certified Caregiving Consultant
Emma Heming Willis acknowledges the emotional strain of moving Bruce Willis to a separate home but recognizes the importance of creating calm surroundings that accommodate his condition. She told People that the new environment provides a sense of peace and ease, which is essential for managing frontotemporal dementia.
Heming Willis shared,
“Everything just feels a lot calmer, more at ease now.”
—Emma Heming Willis
Addressing the Emotional Challenges Behind Care Decisions
The decision to establish a separate home for Bruce Willis followed Heming Willis’ own journey through mental health challenges as she sought appropriate care for her husband. She highlighted that safety considerations for everyone involved played a crucial role in making these changes.
During a podcast on September 2, Heming Willis said,
“Sometimes it means that you have to look at your house. You have to look at is it safe for someone to be living in this house? Is it safe for me, and is it safe for our children? It is a very personal decision, but it comes down to safety. It comes down to making the right decision for you and your family and your person.”
Understanding the Broader Impact on Families Caring for Dementia Patients
Families managing dementia face complex decisions involving living arrangements and caregiving resources. The Willis family’s experience sheds light on how such choices, though difficult, can create better support systems for both the patient and family members.
The actor’s daughters benefit from a stable home environment suited to their needs while maintaining regular contact with their father. At the same time, Bruce Willis gains a supportive setting conducive to his health challenges, illustrating how tailored living options can help balance care demands and quality of life.
