Ruth Langsford has candidly shared her fears about developing Alzheimer's disease, following her personal experience of watching both her parents battle the condition.
The Loose Women presenter, 63, has opened up about how dementia has deeply affected her family, with her father, Dennis, passing away from the illness in 2012, and her mother, Joan, now living in a care home after being diagnosed with the same condition.
Ruth's personal connection to Alzheimer's
© ShutterstockRuth's father began showing signs of Alzheimer's in the 1990s. He was cared for at home by his wife until his passing at the age of 84. Sadly, years later, Joan also developed dementia.
Speaking to Woman & Home magazine, Ruth admitted: "I'm a bit head in the sand about Alzheimer's. Both my parents have had it, I know what it entails and it horrifies me."
Despite her family history, Ruth has chosen not to take a predictive test to assess her own risk of developing the disease, explaining that the absence of a cure makes her reluctant to know.
"There's a test you can do to know if you are more likely to get it, but because there's no medication to treat it, I'd rather not know. When I have senior moments, as people call them, I panic," she said.
Fears about the future
© ShutterstockRuth revealed that small, everyday memory lapses often trigger anxiety about her own health.
"Every time I go, 'Where are my glasses?' and they're on my head, or 'Where are my keys?' I have those blank moments where you suddenly forget someone's name, somebody you know really well," she confessed.
"You think, 'Oh my God.' So, of course, I worry, with both parents. But I try not to think about it too much because it's too depressing."
Choosing to focus on the present
© GettyWhile Ruth's fears are understandable, she remains determined to live life to the fullest.
"Live your life, have a glass of wine, see your friends, have some fun because none of us know what the future holds," she said.
"My life is about finding balance. I want to eat as well as I can, but I don't want to be a bore. I can't bear being out for dinner with people who go, 'Is there butter in that?' I think, 'Just eat a chip or go home!'"
Reflecting on life and health
© ShutterstockRuth has previously spoken about her concerns on the How To Be 60 podcast.
"Whenever they say that you can do a test to see if you would be prone to getting Alzheimer's, I don't really want to do it because there's no cure at the moment," she explained.
"If I could do that test and they said, 'Right, now you know, this is what you do to stop you getting it,' I'd do it. But there's nobody who can tell you that, so I almost don't want to know."
By sharing her personal fears, Ruth hopes to raise awareness about dementia and its impact on families.
"It was lovely to find out more about the picture," she said when reflecting on her parents' experiences.
"And, of course, it's lovely to know that it's got some value that I just have to be kind to my mother now and look after her."
Ruth's honest reflections resonate with many who have faced similar experiences with loved ones.
