Lydia Bright candidly discussed her nan’s worsening Dementia as she recalled the first time she forgot who she was in a heartbreaking update.
The TV personality, 34, told of how she ‘crumbles’ on the days that her nan doesn’t remember who she is as she experiences her ‘decline began to accelerate.’
Sharing a post to Instagram on Thursday, Lydia uploaded a video of her nan with her daughter Loretta, five, walking hand-in-hand.
However, sadly, she went on to revealed her nan ‘doesn’t know who Loretta is anymore and said the heartbreak she is dealing with has become ‘overwhelming.’
She wrote: I’ll never forget the first time I went to see my nan and she didn’t know who I was. It was devastating and my heart broke in a way I can’t explain.
This year has been incredibly hard for me and my family with my Nan’s health. Nan’s dementia has been slowly progressing over the past five years, but at the start of this year her decline began to accelerate.’
Lydia Bright candidly discussed her nan’s worsening Dementia as she recalled the first time she forgot who she was in a heartbreaking update
Lydia Bright candidly discussed her nan’s worsening Dementia as she recalled the first time she forgot who she was in a heartbreaking update (Lydia’s nan with her daughter Loretta)
Lydia continued: ‘My nan has always been one of the most important people in my life. I spent so many of my childhood weekends at my grandparents house and my first home was on the same road as hers meaning we were neighbours for over a decade.
‘She’s always been my best friend and I’m so like her in my ways, obsessed with perfection, cleanliness and self care. The family always joke that I’m the favourite out of her 12 grandchildren, our bond is magical and she’s had such a huge impact on my life.
‘Earlier this year, we had to make the heartbreaking decision to move her into a care home.
‘Even with family staying in her flat, carers visiting daily and everyone rallying around to spend time with her, it still wasn’t enough. She now needs 24-hour care because even one hour alone was too risky.
‘We knew it was the right thing to do, but the guilt was overwhelming. Some weeks are easier than others, she doesn’t know who Loretta is anymore but most of the time she still remembers me and when she does, her whole face lights up and she cries.
‘But I get such bad anxiety every week before visiting because on the days she doesn’t know me I crumble. The tears take over, I have to leave before I upset her or make her feel confused and the sadness becomes so consuming.
‘The hardest moments are when she asks why she can’t think properly or what’s happening to her and I can’t bring myself to tell her how unwell she really is.
‘I have cried a lot about Nan this year, I don’t always know how to help that and I pray she isn’t suffering too much. I’m sharing this because over the weekend it felt overwhelming.’
Lydia concluded: ‘I don’t want to pretend that life is always perfect on here, behind my Instagram feed sometimes like many people I am quietly dealing with heartbreak. Life isn’t always perfect.’
She wrote: I’ll never forget the first time I went to see my nan and she didn’t know who I was. It was devastating and my heart broke in a way I can’t explain’
Back in 2020, Lydia shared the emotional moment that she visited her grandmother with newborn daughter Loretta Rosa amid the coronavirus pandemic
Back in 2020, Lydia shared the emotional moment that she visited her grandmother with newborn daughter Loretta Rosa amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In the social media clip, the former TOWIE star was seen holding baby Loretta on the other side of her nan’s window while the new great-grandmother waves from inside her home as she self-isolates.
The heartwarming video, which she shared on TikTok and Instagram, shows baby Loretta in a fluffy white coat while the song You Are My Sunshine plays in the background.
Lydia explained in the caption that her family have been taking turns to visit their gran each day and hopes once the current COVID-19 crisis is tackled, people will give more support to the elderly.
She began: ‘Bringing my nan a ray of sunshine during self isolation. I have never been so grateful to live on the same road as my grandma.
‘We’re a close knit family and we make sure my nan always has at least one visitor daily, however during self quarantine she has been so teary with not seeing her family and being able to hug us all.
Adding: ‘It’s made me think of all the elderly out there, even before quarantine, who don’t see people on a weekly basis. Hopefully, through all this devastation, it has taught us that we must look after our elderly more. Family means everything.’
