This Morning star Siân Welby has shared her heartbreak over her beloved dad as he battles dementia.
The TV star, spoke out about her father’s battle with the disease last year after being diagnosed with both cancer and Covid. And on Thursday (February 22) Siân appeared on This Morning.
But things took an emotional turn as Siân opened up about what it is like for her dad – who has already lost his “independence and identity”.
Siân Welby and dad on This Morning
Chatting to Craig Doyle and Josie Gibson, Siân candidly admitted that she finds it “heartbreaking” to see her beloved dad live with dementia.
After watching a video of her and her dad at home, Siân said: “We know there is no cure and it will progressively get worse. I literally take everyday as it comes.
“I think the devastating thing about Alzheimer’s is that it’s one of the cruelest diseases because you are losing their personality and eventually you will become strangers.”
Siân Welby talks dad living with dementia
She then went on to discuss her dad’s condition and added: “He relies on others a lot more and not only did this mean he lost his independence but he lost his identity.”
Talking more about the disease Siân confessed: “It does creep on you. He would go the shed and forget why he went. And it gets worse and sometimes he forgets completely why he is there.
“He needed to feel like a dad again. He at one point lost his role as dad because we were doing everything. He couldn’t drive, couldn’t make dinner or do the shopping or fix the car or do anything he normally did.”
Siân Welby says it is a ‘confusing experience’
Siân then went to talk about her “heartbreak” about the situation. She admitted that she is “trying not to miss” her “old dad”.
She explained: “The thought of someone like your own dad not knowing who you are. And that you might walk into a room and he’ll say: ‘Do I know you?’ is so possible that it’s heartbreaking.
“I am trying not to miss my old dad but embrace this new dad that I have to be a bit more patient with. And make him feel like he still can be my dad. It is a confusing experience. Because sometimes you can almost forget he has it, and other times it is so obvious.”
This Morning viewers ‘heartbroken’
Viewers watching the emotional scenes soon shared their thoughts on X, formerly known as Twitter. One person said: “Aww that segment with Siân Welby on dementia has just broke my heart. Such a scary disease.”
Someone else added: “Heartbreaking, watching your loved one being so confused. Bless you Sian.” A third quipped: “Aw must be [broken heart emoji] for Siân.”
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