Timothy West Discusses Life With His Wife, Prunella Scales, Who Suffers From Dementia
Timothy West Opens Up About Wife Prunella Scales' Dementia
Daniel Welsh— The Huffington Post UK
Actor Timothy West has opened up about his wife, Prunella Scales’ diagnosis with dementia has affected their relationship.
During an upcoming interview on ‘Piers Morgan’s Life Stories’, Timothy admits that, while Prunella’s condition means they are no longer able to reminisce about the past, he is still able to “enjoy life” with her.
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Timothy West and Prunella Scales
He explains: “It’s not Alzheimer’s, it’s a related kind of dementia. The sad thing is you just watch the gradual disappearance of the person you knew and loved and were very close to.
"A lot of her has left, but we still enjoy life and there’s still a lot Pru is able to enjoy and we are able to do together.
“It develops very gradually. If you live from day to day, then it’s manageable, but it’s when you start thinking about the past, ‘what a shame she can’t do that anymore,’ or ‘she can’t appreciate that anymore’ or ‘we can’t talk about that anymore’. Then it’s sad.”
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Timothy West talks to Piers Morgan
Last year, the couple, who have been married for over 50 years, garnered praise for their documentary series, ‘Great Canal Journeys’, where they were also able to discuss her condition.
Timothy adds: “We have been so lucky, and we are still so lucky to do things like the canal series - that we can still do things which are contributing to each other.”
But while he says he is able to make the most of his time with Prunella, he also discusses the fact her condition can take its toll at times.
He admits: “When we have been to a concert or to see a film, there’s not much we can say of it afterwards because Pru will have a fairly hazy memory of it.
“She’ll have enjoyed her evening and will talk about the acting, but if we were talking about what the actual play was saying, then she is not able to cope with that.
“I should think it’s very frustrating for Pru but she’s very kind and doesn’t let on about it. It’s frustrating for me. I think we need each other very much, I am very conscious of it.”
Watch Timothy’s full interview in Friday’s ‘Piers Morgan’s LIfe Stories’, at 9pm on ITV.
Early Symptoms of Dementia
No Initiative (01 of10)
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At times everyone can become tired of housework, business activities, or social obligations. However a person with dementia may become very passive, sitting in front of the television for hours, sleeping more than usual, or appear to lose interest in hobbies. (credit:John Rensten via Getty Images)
Changes in Personality (02 of10)
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A person with dementia may seem different from his or her usual self in ways that are difficult to pinpoint. A person may become suspicious, irritable, depressed, apathetic or anxious and agitated especially in situations where memory problems are causing difficulties. (credit:fStop Images - Carl Smith via Getty Images)
Mood Changes(03 of10)
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Everyone can become sad or moody from time to time. A person with dementia may become unusually emotional and experience rapid mood swings for no apparent reason. Alternatively a person with dementia may show less emotion than was usual previously. (credit:Mike Chick via Getty Images)
Misplace Things (04 of10)
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Anyone can temporarily misplace his or her wallet or keys. A person with dementia may put things in unusual places such as an iron in the fridge or a wristwatch in the sugar bowl. (credit:Oli Kellett via Getty Images)
Problems With Keeping Track of Things (05 of10)
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A person with dementia may find it difficult to follow a conversation or keep up with paying their bills. (credit:Chris Red via Getty Images)
Increasingly poor Judgement(06 of10)
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People with dementia may dress inappropriately, wearing several layers of clothes on a warm day or very few on a cold day. (credit:Jessica Peterson via Getty Images)
Distortion of Time and Place (07 of10)
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We sometimes forget the day of the week or where we are going but people with dementia can become lost in familiar places such as the road they live in, forget where they are or how they got there, and not know how to get back home. A person with dementia may also confuse night and day. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Problems With Language(08 of10)
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Occasionally everyone has trouble finding the right word but a person with dementia often forgets simple words or substitutes unusual words, making speech or writing hard to understand. (credit:Jupiterimages via Getty Images)
Difficulty Performing Familiar Tasks(09 of10)
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People with dementia often find it hard to complete everyday tasks that are so familiar we usually do not think about how to do them. A person with dementia may not know in what order to put clothes on or the steps for preparing a meal. (credit:Anthony Harvie via Getty Images)
Memory Loss(10 of10)
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Declining memory, especially short-term memory, is the most common early symptom of dementia. People with ordinary forgetfulness can still remember other facts associated with the thing they have forgotten. For example, they may briefly forget their next-door neighbour's name but they still know the person they are talking to is their next-door neighbour. A person with dementia will not only forget their neighbour's name but also the context. (credit:Compassionate Eye Foundation via Getty Images)