‘That person I love is still there’: Sex Pistols rocker John Lydon reveals he is now a full-time carer for his wife Nora as she battles dementia
- The singer known as Johnny Rotten, 64, is caring full-time for his wife Nora, 78
- She is battling Alzheimer’s disease and her condition is deteriorating
- John described it as a constant hangover but she is still able to remember him
- The Sex Pistols frontman married the German publishing heiress in 1979
John Lydon has revealed he is now a full-time carer for his wife as she struggles with dementia.
The Sex Pistols rocker, 64, known as Johnny Rotten, has been married to wife Nora, 78, for 41 years but now she has Alzheimer’s disease.
Speaking to the Daily Mirror, he said: ‘Nora has Alzheimer’s… I am her full-time carer and I won’t let anyone mess up with her head.
Difficult: John Lydon has revealed he is now a full time carer for his wife Nora as she struggles with dementia
‘For me the real person is still there. That person I love is still there every minute of every day and that is my life. It’s unfortunate that she forgets things, well, don’t we all?’
The punk rocker married the German publishing heiress in 1979 and became stepfather to her daughter, The Slits singer Ari Up.
He first revealed his wife’s diagnosis in 2018.
Happy couple: The punk rocker and the German heiress, pictured in 1984, married in 1979 and are devoted to each other
Hell raiser: The singer, known as Johnny Rotten, was more known for his destructive behaviour than his caring skills in the Sex Pistols
Now, he said her condition is like a constant hangover that is getting worse and worse.
The couple have been searching out the best possible care for Nora as her condition deteriorates.
And John revealed how impressed experts have been that she still remembers him, and he suggested ‘a bit of love goes a long way’ when he comes to taking care of her.
Loving: The Sex Pistols star said her condition is like a constant hangover but she is still able to remember him
And he insisted he has no plans of putting Nora into a home in Los Angeles – where they both live – despite the strain her illness has on both their lives.
The God Save the Queen singer added that he is furious’ that gigs have been cancelled during the current coronavirus pandemic as it means he is losing out on money after Public Image Ltd. had to cancel their touring plans.
Her condition is one of the reasons John has stepped back from the public eye in recent years.
Stoic: John insisted he has no plans of putting Nora into a home in Los Angeles – where they both live – despite the strain her illness has on both their lives
In a 2018 radio interview, John brought up his wife’s illness, but said he is a natural carer after he became guardian to stepdaughter Ari’s children.
He said: ‘It’s something I feel I was trained for. One of my jobs before the Pistols was looking after problem children.
‘The Sex Pistols were obviously problem children and anyone younger would also do for me. I’m a natural caregiver, I just can’t help it.’
John and Nora became guardians to Ari Up’s twin teenage boys in 2000 after she struggled to cope with motherhood, and they took in her third child in 2010 after her death.
WHAT IS DEMENTIA? THE KILLER DISEASE THAT ROBS SUFFERERS OF THEIR MEMORIES
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological disorders
A GLOBAL CONCERN
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) which impact memory, thinking and behaviour.
There are many different types of dementia, of which Alzheimer’s disease is the most common.
Some people may have a combination of types of dementia.
Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience their dementia in their own unique way.
Dementia is a global concern but it is most often seen in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live into very old age.
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED?
The Alzheimer’s Society reports there are more than 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK today, of which more than 500,000 have Alzheimer’s.
It is estimated that the number of people living with dementia in the UK by 2025 will rise to over 1 million.
In the US, it’s estimated there are 5.5 million Alzheimer’s sufferers. A similar percentage rise is expected in the coming years.
As a person’s age increases, so does the risk of them developing dementia.
Rates of diagnosis are improving but many people with dementia are thought to still be undiagnosed.
IS THERE A CURE?
Currently there is no cure for dementia.
But new drugs can slow down its progression and the earlier it is spotted the more effective treatments are.
Source: Alzheimer’s Society
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