Actor Anne-Marie Duff has opened up about her brother Eddie having been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Annie-Marie, 54, has spoken about the condition over the years and previously shared that Eddie, 56, was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s almost a decade ago. She has raised awareness of it amid her family’s own experience.
The BAFTA winner – who is known for her roles in shows like Shameless and more recently Bad Sisters – gave an update on Eddie, who was diagnosed in his forties, in an interview published this week. Anne-Marie said that although the situation is “sad,” they are still making “precious memories”.
Speaking to the Times, Anne-Marie said she felt “infuriated and afraid” when her brother appeared unable to keep ‘his life under control’ in his forties. It’s said that he would get on the wrong bus or turn up to work at incorrect times.
Anne-Marie said that “all sorts of suspicions were aroused” by his behaviour, including questions over whether he was drinking or taking drugs, and if he needed therapy to move forward. She said: “Why couldn’t he keep it together?”
Eddie however ended up being diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer’s, the outlet adds, and Anne-Marie said he could not “accept” it. She said: “It was sad, because he couldn’t accept it and he couldn’t fully comprehend it.” She said that the condition – which affects brain functions, like memory and speech – is “quite aggressive” when “very early onset”.
The Times reports that because Eddie had no job at the time of his diagnosis, as well as no partner or children to look after him, he was provided state-funded, supported housing. He’s said to have his own flat with a communal kitchen and is visited by care staff during the week.
His condition is said to have progressed now that he’s in his fifties though. The outlet adds that Anne-Marie and their family have found themselves in the “midst of a nightmare” trying to find specialist accommodation where Eddie can receive more specialised care seven days a week.
Anne-Marie, whose parents are said to live close by to their son, said that they are “always giggling” and “always laughing” despite the challenges. She said: “You will get precious memories, even though the memories are cobwebs.”
The interview comes after she previously spoke about the situation whilst a guest on BBC Radio 4 show Woman’s Hour in December. She said: “We’re at a point now where he’s going to need much more care. So we’re applying for that. So we’re going through that difficult process.” Anne-Marie added: “My heart goes out to anybody who’s going through just the admin and the logicists of all of that.”
Elsewhere in the BBC Radio interview, she said: “I’d say he’s been living with it for about 14 years and he’s only a couple of years older than me, so that tells you how young he was. And he had his diagnosis about eight or nine years ago.”
Discussing her experience, she said: “It’s very, very difficult because you are watching somebody slowly vanish before your eyes, but the love doesn’t vanish. I’d said that is one of the gifts of all of it – that the love is so present in the room.”
Anne-Marie described the charity Alzheimer’s Society and other organisations as “phenomenal”. She encouraged carers and those with Alzheimer’s to consider reaching out to such groups with any questions or “even just to talk”.
If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Dementia UK.
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