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Emma Heming Willis recently shared insights into her challenging decision to place her husband, Bruce Willis, in a specialized care facility. This choice, she explained, has ultimately brought a sense of stability to their family amid Bruce’s ongoing battle with frontotemporal dementia.
Emma discussed this significant step while appearing on the Conversations With Cam podcast. She revealed that she visits Bruce frequently, as the care home is conveniently located near their residence. This proximity allows her to maintain a strong presence in Bruce’s life while adjusting to the new arrangement.
“All the time,” Emma remarked, emphasizing her regular visits to the care facility.
The couple, who are parents to daughters Mabel Ray, 15, and Evelyn Penn, 11, continue to share cherished moments together. They enjoy several family meals and breakfast visits each week. Emma noted that the facility is equipped with a full staff dedicated to Bruce’s needs, which has been instrumental in ensuring his comfort and well-being.
“It is our second home,” Emma expressed, highlighting how this environment allows for round-the-clock care for Bruce. Simultaneously, it provides their children the space to grow and flourish, maintaining a balance that benefits the entire family.
She also revealed that Bruce has been “thriving” since the move — even though making the decision was one of the hardest moments of his health journey.
“It did not come easy,” Emma said, explaining that caregivers are often forced to make painful choices to protect both their loved one and their family. She added that keeping Bruce at home had begun to limit their daughters’ social lives and sense of normalcy.
“The decision didn’t come lightly, but it was the right one for our family,” she said. “Our children are thriving, and so is Bruce.”
In a previous interview with The Sunday Times, Emma shared that the move also allowed her to step back into her role as Bruce’s wife, calling that shift “such a gift.”
The arrangement has additionally given Bruce more freedom to spend time with friends and family without the pressure of hosting at home, something Emma said helped ease her own anxiety.
During the podcast, Emma also discussed Bruce’s lack of awareness around his diagnosis, explaining that he experiences anosognosia — a neurological condition in which the brain cannot recognize its own illness. While challenging, she described the reality as a mixed blessing.
Despite the difficulties of dementia, Emma continues to focus on joy and maintaining traditions. Speaking at the End Well 2025 conference in November, per People, she shared that the holidays remain meaningful for their family, even if they look different now.
“Life goes on,” she said, adding that while dementia is hard, “there is still joy in it.”