What is early-onset dementia and when was Charley Webb's mother diagnosed?

Early-onset dementia occurs in individuals aged 35 to 65. Charley Webb's mother, Helen, was diagnosed with it ten years ago at the age of 64.

How has dementia impacted Charley Webb and her family?

Webb described the experience as deeply isolating and emotionally taxing, admitting she struggles with visits to her mother, who is now in a care home.

What is dementia and are there treatments available?

Dementia is a progressive neurological disorder affecting memory, thinking, and behavior. While there is no cure, new drugs can slow its progression, and early detection is key for effective treatment.

Home / Lifestyle / TV Star's Heartbreak Over Mother's Dementia

TV Star's Heartbreak Over Mother's Dementia

26 Jan

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Summary

Webb shared her mother's early-onset dementia diagnosis publicly.
She described the experience as deeply isolating and lonely.
Visits are difficult as her mother is no longer the person she knew.

TV Star's Heartbreak Over Mother's Dementia

Former Emmerdale star Charley Webb has bravely opened up about her mother Helen's decade-long battle with early-onset dementia. Webb revealed the diagnosis publicly in 2023, describing the experience as incredibly isolating and the reason she has 'never felt so alone'.

She explained her motivation to speak out was to support Alzheimer's Research UK, for which she is an ambassador, and to help others facing similar challenges feel less isolated. Webb admitted she struggled with the decision to speak publicly, knowing her mother, who was glamorous and private, would have been hesitant.

The actress shared that she still hasn't fully processed the situation and finds visits to her mother, who now lives in a care home, deeply upsetting. She confessed to compartmentalizing her emotions and finding it difficult to enjoy visits, viewing them as a reminder of the mother she has lost.