Families often suffer greatly as a result of Alzheimer’s disease, but knowledge of and awareness around the disease still lags behind its growing number of cases. Awareness around the state of caregiving — of which dementia accounts for a whopping half of all caregivers taking care of an older adult — is even sparser. Every year, thousands of new families receive news of a dementia diagnosis. Not many are equipped at the start to deal with it.

By openly disclosing their own diagnoses, celebrities like Rita Hayworth and Glen Campbell have helped raise awareness around the disease and lessen the stigma associated with those who suffer from it.

While it is important to note that dementia affects Black and Hispanic Americans at a higher rate than White Americans (something researchers are still looking into), dementia can affect anyone, and its causes are still being studied. Here are some well-known celebrities who have been diagnosed with different types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Famous Celebrities With Dementia

Eddie Albert (1906–2005)

A well-known American actor and activist best remembered for his roles in The Heartbreak Kid, Oklahoma!, Green Acres, and Roman Holiday. Albert was a champion of social and environmental causes, having contributed to the creation of Earth Day and standing as a director of the U.S. Council on Refugees. Albert, who received an Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 1995, passed away ten years later at home in Pacific Palisades, California, from pneumonia. He was 99 years old.

Charles Bronson (1921–2003)

Charles Bronson was an American actor who frequently played vigilantes, police officers, or gunfighters in revenge-themed stories. He worked frequently with the filmmakers J. Lee Thompson and Michael Winner, and he and his second wife Jill Ireland appeared in 15 movies together.

In his later years, Bronson’s health deteriorated, and in August 1998, following hip replacement surgery, he announced his retirement from acting. On August 30, 2003, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Bronson passed away at the age of 81. His death certificate lists metastatic lung cancer and respiratory failure with secondary diagnoses as contributing to his death. Although Alzheimer’s disease has often been suggested as a reason for his passing, it is not officially listed.

Rita Hayworth (1918–1987)

Rita was an American actress and dancer who rose to stardom in the 1940s as one of the biggest performers of the decade, appearing in 61 movies over a period of 37 years. After becoming the most glitzy screen idol of the 1940s, Hayworth was given the nickname “The Love Goddess” by the media. In World War II, she was the most popular pin-up girl for U.S. soldiers.

Hayworth was given an Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis in 1980, which likely contributed to her passing away at age 68. Since most people at the time were largely unaware of Alzheimer’s disease, her illness’ public disclosure and the discussion helped to raise awareness of the disease and boost public and private funding for research into it.

Glen Campbell (1936–2017)

Glen Campbell was most famous for a number of popular songs in the 1960s and 1970s as well as for hosting The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television from January 1969 to June 1972. He was an American singer, guitarist, composer, television entertainer, and actor.

Over the course of a career — spanning five decades and more than 70 albums — he sold over 45 million records globally, including 12 gold albums, four platinum albums, and one double-platinum album. Campbell revealed in June 2011 that he had received his Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis six months earlier. In 2014, he entered a long-term care and treatment facility for Alzheimer’s patients.

That year, Campbell was the focus of the film Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me, which was made by a lifelong friend, James Keach. The film looked at Campbell’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and how it affected his musical performances when he was on his final family tour of the country.

The documentary won praise from critics and is one of the few movies to get a perfect Rotten Tomatoes score. On August 8, 2017, Campbell passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 81. In Billstown, Arkansas, he was laid to rest in the Campbell family cemetery.

Robin Williams (1951–2014)

Of this list, Robin Williams is perhaps the most popular household name for Americans. An American comedian and actor, he became well-known for his role as the alien Mork in the sitcom Mork & Mindy. Williams made a name for himself in both stand-up comedy and major motion pictures. He was renowned for his talent for improvisation and the vast range of endearing character voices he was able to produce. Williams has received praise from several commentators for being among the funniest comedians of all time.

Williams developed Lewy body dementia, which is thought to have been a major factor in his 2014 suicide. Williams’ wife, Susan Schneider Williams, noted that “all four of the doctors I met with afterwards and who had reviewed his records indicated his was one of the worst pathologies they had seen. He had about 40% loss of dopamine neurons and almost no neurons were free of Lewy bodies throughout the entire brain and brainstem”. Susan went on to account a wide range of bizarre symptoms that seemed to overtake her husband in the months leading up to his death. Lewy-body dementia, which can include hallucinations, mood problems, and fluctuating cognition, currently affects about 1 million Americans today.

Malcolm Young (1953–2017)

Malcolm was an Australian musician and composer best known for his work with the hard rock band AC/DC, of which he was a co-founder, rhythm guitarist, backup singer, and songwriter. In 2003, Young and the other AC/DC members were admitted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

As a founder, he was with the band from its inception in November 1973 and remained a member until his retirement from the group in 2014, cited by the band’s management as due to health issues. As it turns out, he left AC/DC to pursue treatment therapy for dementia. Tragically, on November 18, 2017, the illness claimed his life.

Seth Rogen

While not afflicted with dementia himself, Seth and his wife Lauren Miller have founded Hilarity for Charity, an organization devoted to bridging the gap between younger generations and understanding Alzheimer’s. Created after his mother-in-law’s early-onset diagnosis with the disease at just 55 years old, it has been working since 2012 to involve millennials in the Alzheimer’s care conversation and inspire change.

Conclusion

Alzheimer’s disease affects a wide range of people, and dementia can affect anyone, regardless of wealth or status. About 6% of adults 65 years and older have Alzheimer’s disease. But hardly one in three people worldwide has any knowledge of this illness. Little is still understood about how the disease works, but as more research is done and greater awareness is raised, hopes are high that breakthroughs can be made in understanding — and eventually curing — Alzheimer’s and dementia.

‍