Bruce Willis' wife asks paparazzi to leave him alone, seeks advice: How to cope with a tough diagnosis

A few weeks after Bruce Willis' family announced he has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, the actor's wife, Emma Heming Willis, is asking paparazzi not to yell at or approach her husband.

“This one is going out to the photographers and the video people that are trying to get those exclusives of my husband out and about: Just keep your space,” Heming Willis said in an emotional video shared to social media over the weekend. “I know this is your job, but maybe just keep your space.”

She also asked caregivers and dementia care specialists for advice on how to help loved ones navigate the world safely.

It can be extremely difficult when a family member gets a life-changing diagnosis, but there are ways to cope if you find yourself in a similar situation.

Emma Heming Willis begs paparazzi to 'just keep your space'

Heming Willis explained  “there’s still a lot of education that needs to be put forth” about people experiencing dementia.

Recently, Heming Willis noted, Willis, 67, made a rare public appearance in Santa Monica, California, to get coffee with friends when photographers began shouting in an attempt to get the actor's attention. The model, 44, highlighted how "difficult and stressful it can be to get someone out into the world and to navigate them safely.”

She continued: “For the video people, please don’t be yelling at my husband asking him how he’s doing or whatever – the ‘woohoo’-ing … just don’t do it. OK? Give him his space. Allow for our family or whoever’s with him that day to be able to get him from point A to point B safely.”

What is frontotemporal dementia?

Frontotemporal dementia is a brain disorder, but it differs from Alzheimer's disease. It is less common and known, according to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.

Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, represents a group of brain disorders cause by the degeneration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain, the AFTD says. Those parts of the brain are generally associated with personality, behavior and language, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Most people with frontotemporal dementia are diagnosed in their early 40s through early 60s, according to the Alzheimer's Association.

There is no cure from frontotemporal dementia, as the AFTD says there are no treatments that can slow or stop the progression of it. The AFTD adds frontotemporal dementia can lead to life-threatening issues like pneumonia, infection or injuries from a fall, with pneumonia as  the most common cause of death.

How to cope with a difficult diagnosis

Beth Kallmyer, the vice president of Care and Support for the Alzheimer’s Association, previously told USA TODAY that while a diagnosis like this can feel "insidious" because of its nature of worsening over time, there are "things that families can do to make a difference."

Some suggestions Kallmyer has for how to cope with a diagnosis includes:

Have conversations early: Kallmyer says it's important to "talk about what your plans are going to be" instead of waiting "until they get to a crisis."

Involve the person living with the condition: "Have conversations with the person living with dementia, the person that's been diagnosed so that you can help them talk about how they want their care to go," she said.

Make a plan: Kallmyer suggests covering a range of topics including questions about day-to-day care ("How are you going to handle when your independence becomes at risk because of safety issues? How do you want us to help you through that?") and end-of-life discussions while the person is still "cognitively able to have those conversations."

Create a support system: "It's very critical that family members find support and that can be with each other," she said, suggesting checking in with how people are feeling and what is working well and not.

Contributing: Sara M. Moniuszko, Jordan Mendoza

More on Bruce Willis, dementia and caring for loved ones

Original news story: Bruce Willis diagnosed with 'cruel disease' frontotemporal dementia, family announces

Bruce Willis was diagnosed frontotemporal dementia. What is it? Causes, symptoms, treatments

And: How to cope with a life-changing diagnosis

More celebrities sharing health struggles: Tony Bennett performing with Lady Gaga one last time after revealing battle with Alzheimer's disease

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bruce Willis paparazzi video: Why his wife is asking for privacy