Loose Women panelist Coleen Nolan has opened up about dementia in her family in a new interview.
Her mum, Maureen, died in 2007 aged 81 and spent her final five years living with Alzheimer’s. Despite looking after her, Coleen’s mother was unable to recognise the star towards the end.
Coleen’s mother died from dementia (Credit: ITV)
Loose Women star Coleen Nolan reveals ‘biggest fear’
In a new interview with BBC Radio Stoke, Coleen, who moved to a farm in North Staffordshire last year, admitted her “biggest fear” is to be diagnosed with dementia.
While she doesn’t have the disease, she’s already had the discussion with her three children, Shane Jr, 36, Jake, 32, and Ciara, 24, in case she is ever diagnosed.
“It’s my biggest fear and I’ve actually said to my kids if it happens – god forbid – put me in a home and walk away, because I won’t know and it’s awful,” she said.
“Of course they’re going: ‘Like we’re going to put you in a home and walk away,’ and I’m said: ‘I’m telling you if you decide to do that, don’t ever feel guilty because that’s what I want you to do … as long as it’s a nice home!’”
When looking after her mum, Coleen said she would have “tantrums like a two year old”. She also said she found it hard to bathe her.
Coleen added: “The last two years it was really bad. And she didn’t know us anyway. We had the guilt – I remember not wanting to go and see her. I would wake up and think I don’t want to go and see her because it killed me.”
The singer declared that “no child wants to put a parent in a care home”, insisting she was left with “massive guilt”.
Coleen’s brother was diagnosed with cancer days after Linda’s death (Credit: ITV)
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