Tuesday was a special day for Jay Leno and his wife Mavis Leno, who enjoyed a night out at the premiere of Unfrosted in Los Angeles.
It was Mavis Leno's first public appearance since news that she was suffering from dementia, and a rare outing for the couple of 40 years.
The comic and philanthropist both seemed in good spirits when they spoke to Entertainment Tonight's Kevin Frazier on the red carpet.
“I feel great,” Mavis Reno told Frasier.
According to Jay Leno, the premiere of Jerry Seinfeld's movie was the perfect opportunity to be entertained.
“I thought I'd do something fun for a change,” he joked. “Everything is so controversial. Just come and see a movie that's funny and silly, and that's great. I think people are going to have a great time.”
As the Lennos privately deal with Mavis Leno's health issues, a night on the town arrives for the Lennos.
Jay Leno filed for community property conservatorship in January, citing his wife's declining cognitive function. His request was granted in April.
“Over the past few years, Mavis has gradually lost her ability and orientation to space and time,” the court filing states, adding that her “current condition makes it difficult to carry out estate planning.” It has become impossible.”
Court documents also quote Mavis Reno's neurologist, Dr. Hart Cohen, who said that Mavis “sometimes doesn't even know her husband Jay's date of birth.”
For patients like Mavis Reno, getting outside can be an important tool.
According to Dr. Jonathan Graf-Radford of the Mayo Clinic, Alzheimer's disease and dementia experts believe that staying social can help avoid symptoms such as depression and slow the progression of cognitive decline. He says that is the key.
However, they also point out that crowded or noisy environments can be overstimulating, disorienting and stressful for people with dementia, and encourage caregivers to However, they are asking people to be careful about the types of environments they enter.
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