“Life is a gift - even with Alzheimer’s,” “The Good Life” singer’s Twitter account tweeted on Monday. “Thank you to Susan and my family for their support, and @AARP The Magazine for telling my story.” The legendary performer, 94, was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2016. Bennett’s wife Susan Crow, whom he wed in 2007, and his oldest son Danny Bennett made the decision to publicly come forward with the Grammy winner’s diagnosis. “Eager for as many ears as possible to hear and enjoy what may very well be the last Tony Bennett record, they have jointly decided to break the silence around his condition, a decision they have, necessarily, had to make without Tony’s input, since he is, Susan said, incapable of understanding the disease, let alone making momentous decisions about whether to publicly disclose it,” AARP noted. In a statement (via Variety), Danny expressed his family’s desire to end the stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s. “I speak for the whole family in thanking his wonderful wife Susan for all the support and love she has given to him. Our wish is that by openly sharing his challenges with Alzheimer’s That we will give hope to all that face this condition and will help end the stigma surrounding this disease,” he said. “Above all else, we want to be able to help raise awareness, advocate for advancing new therapies and one day soon, finding a cure.” According to AARP, Bennett “has so far been spared the disorientation that can prompt patients to wander from home, as well as the episodes of terror, rage or depression that can accompany Alzheimer’s frightening detachment from reality.” While the “Cheek to Cheek” singer can still recognize family members, his wife revealed that he is not always sure where he is or what is happening around him. Dr. Gayatri Devi, the neurologist who diagnosed Bennett, told AARP that the singer has some “cognitive issues, but multiple other areas of his brain are still resilient and functioning well.” She added, “He is doing so many things, at 94, that many people without dementia cannot do. He really is the symbol of hope for someone with a cognitive disorder." Dr. Devi encouraged Crow and Danny to keep Bennett performing and singing for as long as he could. “It kept him on his toes and also stimulated his brain in a significant way,” she explained. Although Bennett could seem “mystified” backstage about where he was, the moment he’d hear “Ladies and gentlemen—Tony Bennett!” he would “transform himself into performance mode.” When the time comes for Bennett to pass, Crow is hoping it will be quietly in his sleep. “Hopefully he’ll just go to sleep one night and that will be that. I’m hoping and praying that he won’t take a turn for the worse that’s really crazy bad," she shared. “There’s a lot about him that I miss.” “Because he’s not the old Tony anymore," Crow continued. “But when he sings, he’s the old Tony." Next, how to help loved ones with Dementia or Alzheimer’s during the COVID-19 outbreak.
