Latest news with #Ruth
Wales Online
an hour ago
- Health
- Wales Online
Ruth Langsford opens up on mother's 'very difficult' Alzheimer's disease battle
Ruth Langsford opens up on mother's 'very difficult' Alzheimer's disease battle TV presenter Ruth Langsford has given a candid interview about her mum Joan's Alzheimer's following her dad's death from the same disease The Loose Women star opened up about her mother's experience of dementia (Image: Dave J Hogan, Dave) Ruth Langsford has spoken candidly about balancing a demanding television career whilst caring for her mother, Joan. The Loose Women presenter's parent, now 94, is battling Alzheimer's disease - the very same condition that took her father's life 13 years ago. Joan is currently experiencing numerous difficult symptoms, including memory loss, with Ruth providing ongoing support for her care. She presently lives in a care facility close to Ruth's home in Surrey. Speaking about her mother, Ruth said: "She wouldn't remember what she's had for her lunch or breakfast, and if I go and see her, when I leave, if you said to her was Ruth here today, she'd say no. But in the moment, she still knows it's me – as soon as she sees me, she says 'Oh, what a lovely surprise!' like she hasn't seen me for months. "It's very difficult, but I'm much more well-versed in this with my mum, because of my dad. We as a family had no idea about Alzheimer's or dementia when he got it, and we were a bit lost. I learned a lot of lessons with my dad." Joan looked after Ruth's father at their Cornwall residence for approximately 11 years before they eventually relocated nearer to the TV star. "It was a struggle for her towards the end," Ruth continued. "He would get up in the middle of the night and he flushed his pyjamas down the loo once and flooded the bathroom. It was awful. And she wouldn't tell my sister and I sometimes, because we lived a long way away. "But eventually we realised how bad it had got, and she eventually agreed that he should go into a home." Ruth stressed that because her mum is now in a care home too, she's not looking after her 24/7. She continued: "I don't have that day-to-day care of cooking, cleaning, all those things, but I am still her main carer. So if they say your mum needs to see the doctor, or the dentist, or she needs some shower gel and toothpaste, then that does come down to me. Content cannot be displayed without consent "And just generally I go in, I take her fruit, I take her flowers, I check the room, I look at her wardrobe, make sure things are hung in the right place. It's care with love, isn't it?" Ruth's caring duties have prompted her to support a new collaboration between the charity Dementia Carers Count and Amazon to help unpaid carers get the most from Alexa-enabled devices. They have developed a free visual guide that highlights essential Alexa features, such as sophisticated scheduling tools, to help carers organise daily routines and feel more supported. This follows research by Dementia Carers Count, which found that 71% of unpaid carers lack adequate support, with more than a third (36%) describing their role as a round-the-clock responsibility. "The thing that stood out to me is the reminders, because I'm very good at putting things in the diary like Mum's dental appointment, and forgetting to check it," Ruth said. "So the fact that you can have a visual and an audio reminder is a great function for me." She then added wryly: "Actually, using the words 'remembering to do it' is kind of ironic, isn't it, when we're talking about dementia?" Ruth, who shares a 23-year-old son, Jack, with Eamonn Holmes, also outlined how demanding life can become for unpaid carers. She emphasised that anyone looking after loved ones requires all the assistance they can receive. She continued: "So many people I know, including myself – I think they call us the sandwich generation don't they – have got possibly a full-time job, kids still at home, and often parents that need some help, and it's a lot for people to manage. "Responsibility like that can weigh very heavily on people, and even though it's somebody that you really love and you want to take care of them, it's difficult and you feel responsible, especially if it's people doing it on their own – it can be very lonely being a carer. And some of them are doing this 24/7 on their own, which I think is very, very difficult. And they need all the support they can get." Ruth, whose parents both suffered from Alzheimer's, admitted that she experiences moments of fear whenever she forgets something, questioning whether she might be developing the condition herself. However, she has no intention to undergo testing to determine her risk of dementia, revealing: "Every time I forget something, those blank moments where you go 'I've totally forgotten that person's name, and I work with them every day', I can feel that panic. "And sometimes I look back and think, I was tired that day, but when you've had both parents with dementia of course it's on my mind, and I know there are tests you can do that can say if you're more susceptible, but I actually don't want to know. "That might sound a bit childlike, but as there's no cure for it, and I know what it involves, I don't want to know. I just want to live my life. If I get it, I get it. I hope not." Rather than fretting about potential dementia, Ruth has embraced living life to the fullest, genuinely relishing her career and maintaining a packed schedule. "You won't come around here on an afternoon and find me lying on the sofa watching a film," she said. "Because I'm always pottering about, I've got things to do." In her spare time, Ruth enjoys putting music on and cooking, gardening, walking her dog Maggie and switching her phone off. "I just try and walk with no earphones in, just walking, breathing in the fresh air, walking my dog in nature," she said. "And honestly, I love my work. I'm very lucky. Of course, there are days when I wish I didn't have to go in because I'm tired or whatever, but I never dread going to work. I love my job, and I'm very fortunate." Article continues below The 65-year-old later added: "I feel fit, and I've started doing Pilates again, which I'm really enjoying. As I get older I've started thinking I've got to keep supple and keep my joints moving, but I have no intention of slowing down or retiring."
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Loose Women Ruth Langsford's 'very difficult' ordeal amid mum's Alzheimer's fight
Ruth Langsford's mother is facing a health battle, 13 years after her dad died from the same condition Ruth Langsford has opened up about juggling a hectic TV career with caring for her mother, Joan. The Loose Women star's parent, now 94, is fighting Alzheimer's disease - the same condition that claimed her father's life 13 years ago. Joan is now experiencing various challenging symptoms, such as memory loss, and Ruth consistently cares for her. She currently resides in a care home near Ruth's house in Surrey. Discussing her mother, Ruth said: "She wouldn't remember what she's had for her lunch or breakfast, and if I go and see her, when I leave, if you said to her was Ruth here today, she'd say no. But in the moment, she still knows it's me – as soon as she sees me, she says 'Oh, what a lovely surprise!' like she hasn't seen me for months. "It's very difficult, but I'm much more well-versed in this with my mum, because of my dad. We as a family had no idea about Alzheimer's or dementia when he got it, and we were a bit lost. I learned a lot of lessons with my dad." Joan cared for Ruth's father at their home in Cornwall for about 11 years before they eventually moved closer to the TV presenter. "It was a struggle for her towards the end," Ruth continued. "He would get up in the middle of the night and he flushed his pyjamas down the loo once and flooded the bathroom. It was awful. And she wouldn't tell my sister and I sometimes, because we lived a long way away. "But eventually we realised how bad it had got, and she eventually agreed that he should go into a home." Ruth stressed that because her mum is now in a care home too, she's not looking after her 24/7. She went on: "I don't have that day-to-day care of cooking, cleaning, all those things, but I am still her main carer. So if they say your mum needs to see the doctor, or the dentist, or she needs some shower gel and toothpaste, then that does come down to me. "And just generally I go in, I take her fruit, I take her flowers, I check the room, I look at her wardrobe, make sure things are hung in the right place. It's care with love, isn't it?" Ruth's caring responsibilities have led her to back a new partnership between the charity Dementia Carers Count and Amazon to help unpaid carers maximise the use of Alexa-enabled devices. They have created a free visual guide that showcases key Alexa features, such as advanced scheduling tools to assist carers in managing daily routines and feeling more supported. This comes after research by Dementia Carers Count revealed that 71% of unpaid carers lack sufficient support, with over a third (36%) describing their role as a round-the-clock responsibility. "The thing that stood out to me is the reminders, because I'm very good at putting things in the diary like Mum's dental appointment, and forgetting to check it," Ruth said. "So the fact that you can have a visual and an audio reminder is a great function for me." She then added wryly: "Actually, using the words 'remembering to do it' is kind of ironic, isn't it, when we're talking about dementia?" Ruth, who shares a 23-year-old son, Jack, with Eamonn Holmes, also described how challenging life can be for unpaid carers. She highlighted that anyone caring for loved ones needs all the support they can get. She continued: "So many people I know, including myself – I think they call us the sandwich generation don't they – have got possibly a full-time job, kids still at home, and often parents that need some help, and it's a lot for people to manage. "Responsibility like that can weigh very heavily on people, and even though it's somebody that you really love and you want to take care of them, it's difficult and you feel responsible, especially if it's people doing it on their own – it can be very lonely being a carer. And some of them are doing this 24/7 on their own, which I think is very, very difficult. And they need all the support they can get." With both her mum and dad having suffered from Alzheimer's, Ruth confessed that she experiences moments of fear whenever she has a memory lapse, wondering whether she might be developing the condition herself. However, she has no plans to undergo testing to determine her risk of getting dementia, revealing: "Every time I forget something, those blank moments where you go 'I've totally forgotten that person's name, and I work with them every day', I can feel that panic. "And sometimes I look back and think, I was tired that day, but when you've had both parents with dementia of course it's on my mind, and I know there are tests you can do that can say if you're more susceptible, but I actually don't want to know. "That might sound a bit childlike, but as there's no cure for it, and I know what it involves, I don't want to know. I just want to live my life. If I get it, I get it. I hope not." Rather than fretting about dementia, Ruth says she has embraced living life to the fullest, genuinely relishing her career and maintaining a packed schedule. "You won't come around here on an afternoon and find me lying on the sofa watching a film," she said. "Because I'm always pottering about, I've got things to do." In her spare time, Ruth enjoys putting music on and cooking, gardening, walking her dog Maggie and switching her phone off. "I just try and walk with no earphones in, just walking, breathing in the fresh air, walking my dog in nature," she said. "And honestly, I love my work. I'm very lucky. Of course, there are days when I wish I didn't have to go in because I'm tired or whatever, but I never dread going to work. I love my job, and I'm very fortunate." The 65-year-old star later added: "I feel fit, and I've started doing Pilates again, which I'm really enjoying. As I get older I've started thinking I've got to keep supple and keep my joints moving, but I have no intention of slowing down or retiring."
Scotsman
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Watch as residents share their views on Oasis coming to Edinburgh
This video More videos Tonight will see Oasis take to the stage at Edinburgh's Murrayfield for the first of three highly anticipated concerts at the stadium. Keep up with the latest new videos with the Shots! Newsletter. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Thousands of fans are set to descend on the city for the occasion, with multiple road closures as well as extra train, tram and bus services in place to cope with the crowds. But while it will undoubtedly be an exciting night for fans of the band, residents have shared mixed opinions about the concerts and crowds. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ruth, 64, questioned the decision to put on the shows during what is already the busiest time of the year for Edinburgh, while Susan Edwards said it could bring 'a lot of hassle' to residents near the stadium. Kyle, 22, seemed more excited about the band coming to the city. While he said he's not a huge Oasis fan he reckons the gigs will 'bring people together'. And Carol, 57, said Oasis reuniting was 'amazing' - but that she wished she had managed to bag tickets.
Los Angeles Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Shohei Ohtani's Ruthian feats are not enough as bullpen melts down against Cardinals
Only one player in the last 110 years has tried to do what the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani is doing this season, which is to pitch and hit successfully at the big-league level. Babe Ruth twice won more than 20 games and led the American League in ERA and starts before the Red Sox, then the Yankees, decided pitching was distracting from Ruth's hitting and put him out to pasture in right field. Over the next three seasons, Ruth broke the major league record for home runs three times. The Dodgers and Ohtani insist he'll remain a two-way player for the time being, but recent performances suggests both the Red Sox and Yankees may have been on to something when they took Ruth off the mound. Ohtani made his eighth start of the year Wednesday and it was his best as a Dodger, with the right-hander giving up just a tainted run on two hits and striking out a season-high eight in four innings. Perhaps more important, he also slugged his first home run in 10 games in the third inning of a 5-3 matinee loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. It was the first truly Ruthian two-way performances for Ohtani since he joined the Dodgers but it was one the team's bullpen wasted, with three relievers combining to allow four runs on 10 hits over the final five innings. The two most important ones came in the eighth, when the Cardinals turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead, greeting Alex Vesiawith a pair of singles before a two-out hit from Jordan Walker drove in the tying run and the winning one scored on a throwing error by third baseman Alex Freeland. As for Ohtani, while he has posted an 2.37 ERA and struck out 25 in 19 innings in his eight starts, his offense has suffered. In the same eight games, he has batted .219 and in his last six starts, he's gone just 3 for 24 at the plate. That's part of a slump that began in mid-June, when Ohtani made his pitching debut for the Dodgers. At the time he led the majors in runs and led the National League in homers and slugging percentage. Since then, his strikeout rate has risen, his average has plummeted more than 20 points and he's clubbed just 14 homers, one fewer than he had in May alone as a designated hitter. 'I do think that there's something to it,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of the difficulty and hitting and pitching at the big-league level. 'Obviously, when he's pitching, there's an added emphasis, understandably so, on pitching. There's a calibration that needs to happen.' Ohtani both pitched and hit on his way to two MVP awards with the Angels. But last season, the first in five years in which he didn't pitch while recovering from a second elbow surgery, Ohtani sent career highs in virtually every offensive category and led the NL in runs (134), homers (54) and RBIs (130) while becoming the first player in history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season. That won him a third MVP award and a World Series ring, replicas of which were handed out Wednesday to the 44,621 sun-splashed fans who came to see Ohtani pitch. But in 2021, when he topped 10 starts for the first time with the Angels, he hit a full-season career-low .257 and struck out a career-high 189 times. Hitting and pitching are both full-time jobs, Roberts said, with bullpen sessions in between starts, batting practice, video to study and strategy meetings to attend. That's one reason no one has tried to do both since Ruth. For Ohtani, the manager said, the challenge now is finding comfort in the crowed new routine. 'It's not the norm,' he said. 'It's been over two years since he's done this, so he's still sort of getting adjusted to this lifestyle, as far as kind of the day to day.' Ohtani breezed through his longest start as a Dodger, topping 100 mph multiple times and retiring the first six Cardinals in order. It would have been seven but shortstop Mookie Betts and second baseman Miguel Rojas lost Walker's popout in a high sky leading off the third. That went for a hit and Walker came around to score on a stolen base, a ground out and Brendan Donovan's infield single. Ohtani struck out the next four hitters he faced while giving his team the lead in the third, following Alex Call's leadoff double — his first hit as a Dodger — with a two-run homer to center. The hit was the 1,000th in the majors for Ohtani while the homer was his 39th of the season. The Dodgers added another run in the fourth when Andy Pages led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third and continued home when the throw from catcher Pedro Pagés hit the bat of Miguel Rojas and ricocheted toward the Dodger dugout. Then came the daily bullpen meltdown, with the Cardinals pushing a run across against Justin Wrobleski in the sixth, setting the stage for their eighth-inning rally against Vesia. Brock Stewart gave up the final run in the ninth.
Western Telegraph
5 days ago
- Health
- Western Telegraph
Hospital worker tears up as she recalls death of girl, 14, left alone on ward
Ruth Szymankiewicz was being treated for an eating disorder at Huntercombe Hospital in Berkshire and had been placed under strict one-to-one observation when on February 12 2022, an inexperienced agency worker left her on her own. The 14-year-old was able to shut herself in her bedroom at the hospital's psychiatric intensive care unit – also known as Thames ward – where she self-harmed. What Ruth did on the 12th of February was not out of the blue. Those who worked on the ward knew that Ruth would take an opportunity (to self-harm) if it was presented to her Tim Moloney KC, representing family She died two days later at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. It later emerged the member of staff responsible for watching Ms Szymankiewicz – a man then known as Ebo Acheampong – had never worked in a psychiatric hospital environment prior to coming to Huntercombe Hospital on February 12 for his first shift. Michelle Hancey, a support worker with 18 years' experience at Huntercombe, teared up as she told a jury inquest on Wednesday about the moment Mr Acheampong told her he 'couldn't follow' Ms Szymankiewicz on the ward – and she realised the teenage girl was alone. 'He just said to me he couldn't follow his patient and when I asked him who his patient was, and when I found out it was Ruth, I told him he needed to look for her immediately,' Ms Hancey said. Ms Szymankiewicz had been placed on the 'level three observation' plan following earlier incidents of self-harm – meaning she had to be kept within eyesight at all times on the ward. Tim Moloney KC, who represents the family, told the hearing: 'What Ruth did on the 12th of February was not out of the blue. 'Those who worked on the ward knew that Ruth would take an opportunity (to self-harm) if it was presented to her.' Mr Acheampong was asked to join the psychiatric intensive care unit on February 12 because the ward was so short-staffed nurses could not go on breaks, the inquest at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court was previously told. Ms Hancey further told jurors that, on the morning of February 12, she had become 'upset and emotional' because of the insufficient staffing on Thames ward. 'I have raised (staffing issues) several times before this event,' Ms Hancey said, adding a lot of staff had fallen sick during that period because of exhaustion. 'There was an agreement that I should have a certain amount of staff on the ward. 'We had very difficult patients and they kept going off.' Ms Hancey filed a risk management form known as a 'Datix incident' on February 12 2022, in which she raised concerns that staff on Thames ward would 'fail to monitor patients on prescribed special observation because of staff shortage', Mr Moloney said. The inquest previously heard Mr Acheampong never returned to work at the hospital following the incident and fled the UK for Ghana. A police investigation later found he had been using false identity documents and was hired by the Platinum agency – which supplied staff for Huntercombe Hospital – under a false name. Active Care Group, which owned Huntercombe at the time of Ms Szymankiewicz's death, has since closed the facility. The inquest continues.
