LINDA Robson has today revealed the moment she knew something “wasn’t right” with her friend Pauline Quirke, amid her Dementia diagnosis.
In January, actress Pauline‘s husband Steve Sheen revealed she would be stepping back from her 50-year career due to the syndrome.
Linda Robson has opened up about how she found out that her friend Pauline Quirke had dementia[/caption]
Linda recently broke down in tears on Loose Women while discussing her best friend’s dementia battle[/caption]
The Birds of a Feather co-stars have been close since they were ten years old.
Linda, 66, was comforted on Loose Women recently, as the panel discussed their memories of the actress after her shock diagnosis was revealed.
Now the star has revealed the moment she knew something “wasn’t right” with her close friend.
Pauline was diagnosed with dementia in 2021, but the illness only became public knowledge recently.
Linda realised something was up with her good friend when she stopped returning her calls,.
“I hadn’t spoken to her for a little while and I kept wondering why she hadn’t returned my calls. Eventually, Steve phoned me back,” she told Bella Magazine.
“Lesley [Joseph] and I went for lunch with her and that’s when we realised something wasn’t right with her, and that was three years ago.”
Revealing she has known about her friend’s dementia battle for the last three years, Linda added: “I managed to keep it a secret.
“It was very important that I did, because it was up to her family when it was time for them to let everyone know.
“Steve was taking her away a lot, just to get her out of the country.”
SUPPORTING PAULINE
Meanwhile, Linda recently told The Sun of her plans to support her best friend.
It came as she issued n update on her friend’s dementia battle, saying she’s ‘struggling to identity her family members.’
Speaking to The Sun at the TV Choice Awards, devastated Linda shared an update on how she plans to support her friend.
She told us: “I haven’t seen Pauline in person but I’ve seen her on FaceTime.”
Pauline was told she had dementia in 2021[/caption]
Linda revealed that she’d been keeping in the loop with what’s going on by regularly FaceTiming Pauline’s husband.
She added: “Steve has said that I can go and see her next week, so that’s what I’ll do.
“It’s about taking everything slowly for her really.”
Linda also said at the awards: “It’s very sad. We’ve been best friends since we were ten. I’ve known [about the diagnosis] for three years and we’ve managed to keep it quiet.
“She doesn’t know who anybody is.
“She doesn’t know who I am or who her kids are. Dementia is terrible – I’d rather get cancer, because at least then you’ve got a chance.”
Linda continued: “My mum had it [dementia] as well. One in two people now get dementia, it’s a lot of people.
“When my mum was in a hospice, we’d get there and she’d recognise us for a second and that was completely gone. It’s the worst thing, it really really is.”
Stars of the BBC sitcom Birds of a Feather. From left, Linda Robson, Lesley Joseph and Pauline Quirke[/caption]
STEPPING BACK
Linda insisted that she’ll never do another episode of Birds of a Feather as it “wouldn’t be the same without Pauline”.
They starred together in the hit sitcom as Sharon Theodopolopodous and Tracey Stubbs.
Earlier this year it was announced that Pauline is stepping down from her professional duties after being diagnosed with dementia.
Her husband Steve Sheen issued a statement which read: “It is with a heavy heart that I announce my wife Pauline’s decision to step back from all professional and commercial duties due to her diagnosis of Dementia in 2021.
“Pauline has been an inspiration through her work in the film and TV industry, her charity endeavours and as the founder of the very successful Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA).
“Her talent, dedication, and vision have touched countless lives and will continue to do so through the legacy of her work and through PQA where her vision and guidance has facilitated many young peoples’ progression and interest in the Arts and enhanced their self-confidence.”
Is it ageing or dementia?
Dementia – the most common form of which is Alzheimer’s – comes on slowly over time.
As the disease progresses, symptoms can become more severe.
But at the beginning, the symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for normal memory issues related to ageing.
The US National Institute on Aging gives some examples of what is considered normal forgetfulness in old age, and dementia disease.
You can refer to these above.
For example, it is normal for an ageing person to forget which word to use from time-to-time, but difficulting having conversation would be more indicative of dementia.
Katie Puckering, Head of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Information Services team, previously told The Sun: “We quite commonly as humans put our car keys somewhere out of the ordinary and it takes longer for us to find them.
“As you get older, it takes longer for you to recall, or you really have to think; What was I doing? Where was I? What distracted me? Was it that I had to let the dog out? And then you find the keys by the back door.
“That process of retrieving the information is just a bit slower in people as they age.
“In dementia, someone may not be able to recall that information and what they did when they came into the house.
“What may also happen is they might put it somewhere it really doesn’t belong. For example, rather than putting the milk back in the fridge, they put the kettle in the fridge.”
