Being the spouse of an ill loved one is, in most cases, the same as being their primary caretaker. This is a challenging role, and Emma Hemming Willis has been quite open about her experience since husband Bruce was diagnosed with dementia. She recently made a touching post on Instagram, revealing that she does not want to create a facade that she is holding up strong.
In a video, the 45-year-old made a public service announcement to all care partners. “I’m asking care partners to send photos because I just think it’s so important for us to sort of break up our thinking… I have to make a conscious effort, every single day, to live the best life that I can,” she said.
Emma shares how she copes as a caretaker
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Emma shared that she tries to live the beauty of life and not get drowned in the challenges of caring for an ill partner — in other words, she is not as “good” as she appears to be. “I do that for myself, I do that for our two children and Bruce, who would not want me to live any other way,” she added, speaking of her two daughters with Bruce, Mabel and Evelyn.
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She is prioritizing her well-being to give her best to her ailing husband. “I don’t want it to be misconstrued that ‘I’m good.’ Cause I’m not. I’m not good,” Emma said. “But I have to put my best foot forward for the sake of myself and my family because, again, when we are not looking after ourselves, we cannot look after anyone that we love.”
Reactions to Emma’s post
Thankfully, Emma is not short of support online as she is “doing the best she can, always.” Her comments were flooded with encouraging words from friends and fans of the Cop Out actor. “You have one of the toughest jobs on this planet. Take the time to enjoy alone time, mommy time, and whatever time keeps you grounded and stable,” someone wrote in part, asking Emma to be easy on herself.
Another person said the same about putting herself first with a fitting analogy. “When the airline oxygen masks fall, you’re told to put your mask on first. You can’t help others if you don’t care for yourself first. It’s the same when you’re caring for a loved one,” they wrote.