Sir Jackie Stewart on Wife's Dementia and His Fight Against It

Personal Impact of Dementia

• 💔 Sir Jackie Stewart shares the profound personal impact of his wife Lady Helen's dementia, describing it as a "bad time" that can become "more violent" towards loved ones and caregivers.
• 🏠 He has specially adapted apartments to care for his wife at home, requiring 24-hour specialist nursing care, which he acknowledges they are fortunate to afford.
• 🧠 Lady Helen has no recollection of her actions, including instances where she has abused her nurses, a fact that deeply troubles Sir Jackie.

Lady Helen's Past Role

• ⏱️ Lady Helen was a first-class timekeeper and lap charter for Sir Jackie during his motor racing career, a crucial role often filled by wives and girlfriends.
• 🏎️ She was a constant presence, supporting him at nearly all of his Grand Prix events.

Parallels Between Safety and Dementia Advocacy

• ⚠️ The loss of many colleagues and teammates during his racing career inspired Sir Jackie's relentless push for Formula 1 safety.
• 🤝 He now channels a similar passion into his "Race Against Dementia" initiative, viewing the fight against dementia as an even greater challenge.
• 🌍 While Formula 1 is global, he believes medicine and dementia research have an even broader global reach and impact.

The Global Challenge of Dementia

• 🔬 Sir Jackie emphasizes that dementia is a long illness with no known cure as of now.
• 🙏 He expresses a deep hope that a cure will be found within his lifetime, highlighting the global scale of the disease.
• 💰 He contrasts the cost of his wife's care with the broader societal and personal costs of dementia, stating that it "hurts everybody."