Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxMore Newsletters SubscribePlease enter a valid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.More NewslettersWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More infoThank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow me See OurPrivacy Notice See OurPrivacy Notice×Group 28 Get daily celeb exclusives and behind the scenes house tours direct to your inboxInvalid emailSomething went wrong, please try again later.Sign UpNo thanks, closeWe use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. More info×Group 28Thank you for subscribing!We have more newslettersShow MeNo thanks, closeSee our
Privacy NoticeEarlier this month, Fiona Phillips bravely opened up about how she’d been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her early sixties. The 62 year old TV personality spoke to The Mirror in an emotional interview in which she revealed that she’d been diagnosed with the same illness that had “ravaged” her family after her mother, father, uncle and grandfather had previously been diagnosed. For Sophia Husbands, the news struck a chord as her parents also lived with Alzheimer’s disease. Sophia, who is a Training and Change Consultant, has praised Fiona for speaking about her diagnosis and told OK! that it’s a “huge step” in raising awareness of the disease. Here, she tells her story…
Sophia Husbands tells OK! how her parents were both diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease
Read More
Related Articles
Fiona Phillips shares how ‘sweet’ sons ‘show they care’ after Alzheimer’s diagnosis
Read More
Related Articles
Fiona Phillips worries about ‘becoming hopeless old lady’ amid Alzheimer’s diagnosis
“Alzheimer’s is devastating for those diagnosed, but I know all too well how life shattering it can be for the loved ones who are left helplessly watching it take hold. I lost complete sight of myself after my parents’ diagnosis. In all honesty, I’ll never be the same woman I once was. When my dad, Wilson, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, I hadn’t really heard of the condition. It was in the noughties and there wasn’t a lot of discussion about what it was – I thought it affected older people, though now I know it can affect people of any age. Prior to my dad’s diagnosis, he’d shown symptoms for a while. He was in his sixties when he started to do things like forget his keys or repeat sentences he’d already said. It didn’t seem that serious, so I brushed it off. It wasn’t until a medical professional came round to do an assessment that I noticed he’d forget names of obvious things or how to pronounce different words. It was devastating.
Sophia says that a diagnosis can be “devastating” for those affected
Heart shattered As his Alzheimer’s progressed, my dad’s behaviour became more concerning, and it suddenly felt like our relationship had been reversed. Where once he’d looked after my siblings and I, we were the ones looking after him. It was like we were the parents and he was the child. Sadly he passed away in 2006 at the age of 75. When my mum, Caroline, started showing signs of Alzheimer’s in 2016/17, my heart shattered. I thought my dad’s experience would have prepared me for what to expect, but hearing the news was like reliving my dad’s final years all over again. However, this time I didn’t have a parent to lean on. Following my dad’s diagnosis, I spent a lot of time outside of my old job visiting him in hospital and in his care home. Shortly before he passed away, I reduced the daily visits to see him as it was taking a toll on me emotionally. But I had emotional support – I took comfort in knowing that my mother was by his side.
Sophia says her mum’s diagnosis was like reliving her father’s final years all over again
In denial Mum was officially diagnosed several years later. Some of my siblings were initially in denial as they couldn’t believe the diagnosis had come around again. My mum also found it hard to accept that something wasn’t right – especially when people told her she didn’t seem like herself. She couldn’t face it. I was able to move in with my mum following her diagnosis. As much as I loved my mum, I felt like my life was on hold. I ended up moving out in order to save my mental health and rediscover who I was again. Carers would see my mum four times a day, but I’d visit her and make sure that she was OK. One memorable moment with my mum was a month and a half before she passed away in March 2023. I love vintage fashion and my mum was always known for her style and looking smart. I remember visiting her at home while wearing a 1970s-style coat, which I knew she’d love. She smiled at me. It was like it was the old her. I’ll always remember that special moment with Mum. I know losing a parent is the natural flow of life, but to see both my parents live with Alzheimer’s was extremely upsetting. It was like a prolonged death where they’re made up of bits and pieces of the person you once knew. When you experience someone going through Alzheimer’s, it’s almost as if you go through a grieving process because you’re losing something that’s right in front of you. It’s weird. While it’s still unknown what triggers Alzheimer’s, seeing both my parents diagnosed is something that plays on my mind. Their experience has spurred me to think about my own life and how I live it. My dad’s last words to me were, “Take life easy” and that’s something I hold on to dearly – it even spurred me to travel the world while I can. I’ll thank him forever for that, and I’ll thank my mum for teaching me this too.
Sophia says that her parents’ diagnoses made her think about how she viewed her own life
Spiral into panic I don’t know if I’ve inherited any genes from my parents that put me at a higher risk, but the worry that there’s a genetic component is always there. Whenever I begin to experience brain fog during conversations or if I forget dates of things, I spiral into a panic where my mind assumes I’m displaying signs of Alzheimer’s. It’s like I have a voice in my head saying, “This could be it.” I have mixed feelings about undergoing tests to determine if I’m at risk of the disease. I worry how I’d respond if the outcome wasn’t the news I’d want to hear – would it feel like I had a ticking time bomb inside me? I don’t believe knowing would increase my quality of life. It might do the opposite. It was really sad to hear the news about Fiona Phillips. I think it’s important that we talk about it to increase understanding and awareness. Her speaking out is a huge step, especially as people think it’s an old person’s disease when it can affect people of all ages.” Sophia is a Training and Change Consultant at sophiaworld.co.uk and is the founder of the #AgeOfHonesty shirtsStory SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnHealthReal Life
