The news that Hollywood action legend Bruce Willis has been moved out of his family home due to his worsening frontotemporal dementia has once again drawn attention to the devastating ways this disease impacts not just memory and behavior, but also everyday routines like eating. At 70, Willis has been battling the illness for several years, and his wife, Emma Heming Willis, recently revealed that she made the difficult decision to move him to a second family property. She explained that keeping him in the main home, which she shares with their two young daughters, was no longer the healthiest option for either him or the children.
Frontotemporal dementia, commonly referred to as FTD, is a degenerative brain disease that primarily affects the frontal and temporal lobes. Unlike Alzheimer’s, which mainly targets memory, FTD alters personality, behavior, language, and decision-making. As the disease progresses, it also disrupts other vital functions, including how patients eat and interpret hunger. Doctors and researchers have documented extreme cases where eating patterns become so distorted that they threaten patients’ health and safety.
One of the most striking examples comes from a case studied by the International School of Advanced Studies in 2006. The patient, known as the “Banana Lady,” became fixated on consuming nothing but bananas and milk, drinking liters of milk daily and refusing all other foods. After her death, brain analysis confirmed she had been suffering from frontotemporal dementia. Researchers explained that this obsessive focus on a narrow range of foods is common with the disease and can lead to dangerous weight loss or malnutrition.
The disorder doesn’t just alter preferences—it can sometimes push patients toward eating things that aren’t food at all. Dr. Elaine Eshbaugh, a professor of gerontology at the University of Northern Iowa, recalls one case where a woman’s husband attempted to eat a marble. Other reports describe dementia patients consuming toxic substances like cleaning solutions or even laundry pods. These behaviors, experts warn, highlight the need for constant supervision and safe, controlled environments for those living with dementia.
On the other end of the spectrum, FTD can also cause patients to overeat. Damage to the hypothalamus—the part of the brain that regulates hunger—can disrupt the signals that normally tell the body when it is full. As a result, some patients compulsively eat large amounts of food, steal from others’ plates, or forget that they have already eaten. This overeating not only creates awkward social situations but also poses serious risks to their health by contributing to obesity and related medical conditions.
Livewell, an organization specializing in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, explains that appetite changes are often a natural part of the disease. Patients may struggle to feed themselves, fail to recognize hunger cues, or confuse thirst with hunger. In the later stages, some may not even realize they are hungry at all. Experts stress that caregivers must be prepared to manage these challenges with patience, structure, and professional support.
While Emma Heming has not spoken publicly about whether her husband is experiencing these eating-related symptoms, she has been candid about the profound changes dementia has brought to their family. In a recent interview with Diane Sawyer, Emma shared that Bruce has lost much of his ability to speak and remember. “Bruce is in really great health overall—you know, it’s just his brain that is failing him,” she said, adding that the family has found new ways to communicate with him despite the language loss.
Emma has also used her platform to raise awareness about frontotemporal dementia and fight the stigma surrounding it. After facing backlash online for moving Bruce into a separate home with a 24-hour care team, she responded by launching an awareness campaign to educate the public about the realities of the disease and the toll it takes on families. Her openness has provided comfort and solidarity to countless others navigating similar situations.
Bruce Willis’s story is a reminder of how devastating dementia can be—not just for the individual but for everyone around them. From altered eating habits and communication struggles to the heartbreak of watching a loved one fade away, FTD demands round-the-clock care and compassion. While there is currently no cure, increased awareness, early detection, and strong support systems can make a meaningful difference in managing the disease.
As Emma put it, caring for Bruce now requires a “different way” of communicating and living, but her commitment to him and their family remains unwavering. For fans, the updates are a sobering reminder that even the strongest action heroes can be brought low by illness, and for caregivers worldwide, they highlight the importance of understanding, patience, and awareness in the fight against dementia.
