Barbara Windsor moves into care home as dementia battle advances
The EastEnders legend, 82, has been moved into a residential care home after her husband Scott was advised to place her with people better equipped to look after her as she battles Alzheimer’s
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Dame Barbara Windsor has been moved into a residential care home as her battle with Alzheimer’s continues.
The dementia-stricken star’s husband Scott Mitchell, 57, made the difficult decision after he was advised by doctors that it was the best thing for her.
The EastEnders legend, 82, is battling an advancing dementia.
But her absence is difficult for her husband of 20 years, who says he misses hearing her trademark giggle around their home.
Scott told The Sun : “I have been used to hustle and bustle in this little space, then suddenly, silence… all you can hear are your thoughts, and that’s not always healthy.
“I feel I’m on an emotional rollercoaster. I walk around, trying to keep busy, then burst in to tears. It feels like a bereavement.
“It’s always been my biggest fear, that one day I would have to take her somewhere and she’d be thinking, ‘Why would he do this to me?’ That fear has become a reality. It’s something I never wanted.”
Scott says he was advised by doctors to tell Barbara she was just going away for a few days, while changes were made to her medication.
Medics believe that will help ease the transition for Barbara, but Scott fought back tears as he spoke about life without her at home.
He said walking out of the house the day he took her to the care home two weeks ago was “incredibly tough” because he didn’t know if Barbara would ever be coming back.
Barbara’s condition got worse during lockdown, with Scott forced to bring in carers to help look after her.
He also shared the heartbreaking update that his wife didn’t understand why nobody was coming to visit her anymore, as friends and family were forced to stay away due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Ross Kemp, who played Barbara’s on-screen son on the BBC soap, said during a recent appearance on The One Show: “Sadly during lockdown she had gotten a lot worse and Scott, her husband, is now having to think about finding alternative care for her because that is basically what happens with that disease.
“It is the biggest killer in the UK and sadly there is no cure.”
He added: “I think they decided once she got diagnosed they were not going to hide from it. They were going to make it as public as possible to create as much awareness as possible.
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