2 weeks Ago
Jay Leno's deeply personal take on what it means to be a caregiver to his wife, Mavis Leno, following her dementia diagnosis, underlines what true commitment really looks like. During an the former "Tonight Show" host spoke with candor about becoming a caregiver to his wife, whom he married in 1980. In April 2024, Leno was following her diagnosis with advanced dementia, according to NBC News.
“I enjoy the time with my wife. If I go home, I cook dinner for her, watch TV, and it’s OK. It’s basically what we did before, except now I have to feed her and do all those things,” he explained.
“But, I like it. I like taking care of her. She’s a very independent woman, so I like that I’m needed.
” The 74-year-old comedian described helping her remember their life together with flashcards and finding the humor in every moment. “I’m told people with dementia forget the people they’re with. But, you know, I do pictures of the flashcards,” he said, pretending to place a card down and saying, “‘Remember? Remember?’ It’s kind of funny.
I go, ‘Honey, that’s President Obama. Remember we had dinner?’” “‘‘Oh, not me,’” he said his wife would respond. “‘Yeah, yeah.
Honey, it was you’ ...
You have to find the humor in it.” He also described the daily responsibility of helping her to eat and physically get around as more than a duty, but something he truly embraces doing for his wife. “Well, that’s the challenge, isn’t it? When you have to feed someone and change them and carry them to the bathroom and do all that kind of stuff every day,” he added.
“It’s a challenge. And it’s not that I enjoy doing it, but I guess I enjoy doing it.” He went on to acknowledge that the role of a caretaker comes with physical, mental and emotional challenges, but that it’s something that brings clarity about what it means to truly care for a spouse.
“At some point in my life, I’m gonna be called upon to defend myself,” he continued. “I think that’s really what defines a marriage. I mean, that’s really what love is.
That’s what you do. I mean, I’m glad I didn’t cut and run. I’m glad I didn’t run off with some woman half my age or any of that silly nonsense.
I would rather be with her than doing something else.” Alex Portée is a senior trending reporter at TODAY Digital and is based in Los Angeles..
