Bruce Willis, Seth Rogen, Robert Munsch And Why Talking About Dementia Matters More Than Ever

When Emma Heming Willis shared publicly that her husband, actor Bruce Willis, had moved into a separate home to care for him on his dementia journey, she showed the world something rarely seen: the authentic, lived experience of this disease. She was met with empathy from many, but also cruel criticism from strangers who thought they knew better.

That reaction revealed that the stigma that surrounds dementia still exists. Families are judged for seeking care. Loved ones are isolated. Silence too often replaces conversation.

Here in Canada, beloved children’s author Robert Munsch made headlines this week when he disclosed information on the progression of his dementia diagnosis. With the same honesty that filled his stories, Munsch spoke openly about memory loss, the challenges of living with dementia, and the love and humour that carry him through. It reminds us that dementia touches people we know and cherish.

Voices like Munsch’s, like the extended Willis family, and like Seth Rogen and his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, who founded Hilarity for Charity, are helping to start to change the conversation. They talk openly about caregiving, about laughter as medicine, and about the need for research and community support. Together, they show that dementia is not a shameful secret, but a human reality that deserves compassion.

That’s the message at the heart of World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21, which calls for a global effort to raise awareness and challenge stigma. With the cases of dementia projected to increase by 187% by 2050, we need to be vocal now. We need to change the culture. We need to talk about dementia the way we talk about cancer, heart disease, or mental health – without whispering, without shame, without pretending it only happens to other people.

Because here’s the truth: dementia touches all of us. One in three Ontario adults have a close relative living with the disease. Silence isolates families. Speaking up builds community. And when beloved figures, whether a Hollywood star or a Canadian storyteller speak out, it helps us all find the space to do the same.

So this World Alzheimer’s Day, let’s open those doors and let the light in. Let’s talk about dementia at the dinner table, at work, online. Let’s challenge stigma when we see it, and remind people living with dementia that their dignity, their worth, and their voices matter. Let’s start the conversations that matter most and create dementia-friendly communities where no one feels alone in the dementia journey.

Dave Spedding
CEO, Alzheimer Society Toronto