Anneka Rice almost killed her dad 'through deep love' during his Alzheimer's battle
Anneka Rice has admitted she considered ending her father's life with a pillow during his struggle with Alzheimer's.
The TV presenter's father was diagnosed in 2005, but Rice revealed on her BBC Radio 4 show Anneka Has Issues — reported via the Daily Mail — that she thought about stopping his suffering when he was admitted to hospital with a broken hip.
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"He was dazed and confused and it broke my heart. I'd visit every day, a three-hour round trip, and I remember vividly looking at my dad, usually so dapper, and now so broken in that hospital bed," said the 63-year-old.
She added: "And I looked and I looked, deep into my soul, and I looked at the pillow and I took one of his pillows.
"And I looked round the ward and I held the pillow up. And I wanted so much to help him on his way — as all our elderly parents say to us 'please don't let me linger in pain'.
"But, when the time comes, it's almost impossible to do the deed. Murder I don't think is naturally in our DNA."
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Rice explained further that her thoughts were born "through deep love" and discussed the issue on the show with forensic anthropologist Dame Sue Black.
The presenter revealed that, after her father passed away, her mother also began to show dementia symptoms.
Given her personal experience with Alzheimer's, Rice has been a vocal supporter of the Think Brain Health campaign launched by charity Alzheimer's Research UK.
"I hadn’t really heard of dementia until it affected my family and so I found it very scary to have to navigate from being a daughter to a carer," she told the charity earlier this year.
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She added: "While I know that the risks around dementia are very complex, which means there’s no reason my path in life will be the same, it is at the forefront of my mind to keep my brain as fit and healthy as possible.
"That’s why I’m supporting Alzheimer’s Research UK’s Think Brain Health campaign, to help people understand that there are things they can do to protect their brain health and stack the odds against dementia as much as possible."
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