Ruth Langsford’s Journey Through Challenges and Caregiving
Ruth Langsford has faced a series of difficult challenges over the years, but she remains resilient and focused on the present. Her journey includes the end of her 14-year marriage to Eamonn Holmes in May last year, the tragic passing of her sister Julia in 2019, and the ongoing struggle of caring for her 94-year-old mother, Joan, who is living with Alzheimer’s disease. This condition runs in the family—Langsford’s father also suffered from it before passing away 13 years ago.
Despite these hardships, Langsford is determined to move forward. She focuses on her role as a caregiver for her mother and continues to thrive in her professional life as a presenter on Loose Women. Her approach to caregiving is both practical and heartfelt, emphasizing the importance of small gestures that make a big difference.
When speaking about her mother, Langsford shares how their relationship has evolved over time. “She wouldn’t remember what she had for lunch or breakfast, and if I go and see her, when I leave, if you said to her was Ruth here today, she’d say no. But in the moment, she still knows it’s me – as soon as she sees me, she says ‘Oh, what a lovely surprise!’ like she hasn’t seen me for months.”
Langsford reflects on how her experience with her father helped her understand the challenges of Alzheimer’s. “We as a family had no idea about Alzheimer’s or dementia when he got it, and we were a bit lost. I learned a lot of lessons with my dad.” Her mother cared for her father for about 11 years at home in Cornwall before they moved closer to Langsford, where they could provide better support.
The transition wasn’t easy. “It was a struggle for her towards the end – he would get up in the middle of the night and he flushed his pyjamas down the loo once and flooded the bathroom. It was awful. And she wouldn’t tell my sister and I sometimes, because we lived a long way away.”
Now, Langsford’s mother is in a care home, which means she isn’t responsible for all aspects of daily care. However, she still plays an active role in ensuring her mother receives the best possible support. “I don’t have that day-to-day care of cooking, cleaning, all those things, but I am still her main carer. So if they say your mum needs to see the doctor, or the dentist, or she needs some shower gel and toothpaste, then that does come down to me.”
Her caregiving responsibilities have inspired her to support a new initiative between Dementia Carers Count and Amazon. Together, they’ve developed a free visual guide highlighting key Alexa features that can help unpaid carers manage daily routines more effectively. Research by Dementia Carers Count found that 71% of unpaid carers lack adequate support, with over a third (36%) describing their role as a 24/7 responsibility.
For Langsford, the reminders feature on Alexa is particularly useful. “The thing that stood out to me is the reminders, because I’m very good at putting things in the diary like Mum’s dental appointment, and forgetting to check it,” she admits. “So the fact that you can have a visual and an audio reminder is a great function for me.”
Langsford also acknowledges the emotional toll of caregiving. “So many people I know, including myself – I think they call us the sandwich generation don’t they – have got possibly a full-time job, kids still at home, and often parents that need some help, and it’s a lot for people to manage.”
Despite the challenges, Langsford remains positive and focused on living her life to the fullest. She enjoys her work, spends time in nature, and finds joy in simple pleasures like cooking, gardening, and walking her dog. “You won’t come around here on an afternoon and find me lying on the sofa watching a film,” she says. “Because I’m always pottering about, I’ve got things to do.”
At 65, Langsford shows no signs of slowing down. “I feel fit, and I’ve started doing Pilates again, which I’m really enjoying. As I get older I’ve started thinking I’ve got to keep supple and keep my joints moving, but I have no intention of slowing down or retiring.”