Tony Christie has spoken of his positive approach to being diagnosed with dementia, saying: “If you start worrying about it, you’re finished. Ignore it, carry on and do what you do.”
The 79-year-old opened up about his diagnosis two weeks ago, almost two years since he was first told he had the condition.
Tony began to notice he couldn’t do everyday tasks as he once did, struggled with remembering the words to his own songs and found he couldn’t solve his daily crossword puzzles anymore.
On BBC Breakfast this morning, Tony explained that he “doesn’t panic” and is determined to keep living and working as the music helps him.
He told presenters Nina Warhurst and Sally Nugent how he handled the diagnosis, he said: “By just carrying on. It happened two years ago and I’ve been a lifelong fanatic, for over 50 years, doing crosswords and things.
“Suddenly I suddenly started finding it very hard and I just said to my wife ‘I used to go through two or three crosswords a day’ and said ‘what’s happening to me? What’s happening?’
"So she said ‘Well, let’s go and get checked’, and they said ‘You’ve got the oncoming of dementia’.”After his diagnosis, Tony learnt more about the disease and immediately saw a specialist to begin treatment so he could continue with his big tour ahead of his 80th birthday.
He continued: “I just carried on and worked. The main reason I have come out about it is I’ve met a lot of people who have got it, and they’re worried about it and I’m not worried about it.
“I’m just back to specialists and they gave me tablets and they gradually worked. My advice to people who are worried about it is go and see a specialist and get on tablets. I’ve got a feeling that in a few years there will be a tablet that will cure it.”
Tony said that ‘music is his therapy’ as listening to familiar songs is meant to help the condition and unlock old memories for patients.
“I started my big, big tour this year, it’s going to be very busy, but I’m really looking forward to it,” he added.
“Music is actually part of a cure for dementia, so every time I go onstage and work it’s helping me.”
Tony has also worked out an “insurance” to help him on stage if he forgets some of the lyrics to his songs.
“It did start about two years ago, when I thought I’m forgetting a few of my lyrics and don’t forget I’ve been singing for sixty years,” he told the hosts.
“I’ve got a TV screen on stage as a remembrance. I don’t always look at it, but just in case I think ‘what are the words?’ it’s there, it’s like insurance. But most of the time I manage to get through my shows it’s great.”
Presenter Nina revealed that her dad also has dementia and music is also a source of comfort to bring him out of himself.
She said: “Music does provide that connection doesn’t it for people with dementia. I know with my dad with dementia, if we play music from the 60s and 70s he’s back in that room and you’re providing that connection for other people with dementia too.”
