Caridad’s son belies mom’s dementia; daughter says denial is detrimental

CEBU, Philippines —  Caridad Sanchez’s son yesterday took to his social media accounts to express “shock” at his sister’s revelation that their famous mother has dementia.

“I Alexander Joseph S. Babao, son of Caridad Sanchez Babao, was shocked by the article published by my sister which was done without permission, violating the privacy, legacy and honor of my mother. My mom has a mild cognitive handicap that goes with aging. But it is unfair for her to be disrespected like this,” he said in a Facebook and Instagram post.

Alexander told ABS-CBN News that the veteran Cebuana actress is living with him in Quezon City.

“Under my care, she remains very physically fit, a source of wisdom, strength and blessing to me whenever we have our late night mother and son conversations. I thank the public who still continue to show their support, love and respect for my mother. However I question the opportunistic timing of its publication by my sister,” he added.

Although it was last month when she first disclosed on her social media accounts that her mother was diagnosed with dementia in late 2015, it was only over the weekend when news sites picked it up.

In what seems to be a response to her brother, Cathy, a grief counsellor, wrote on Facebook yesterday that it has never been her intention to disparage their mother’s image.

“There is nothing shameful about admitting that a loved one has dementia. It’s a condition that afflicts a huge percentage of the senior population. It’s a condition that is highly misunderstood and sometimes even maligned. What persons with dementia need above all is time, patience, love, understanding and respect. To be able to give this, you must understand what dementia looks like and what it requires of the person/s caring for the person with dementia,” she said.

“In sharing my mother’s story, my only motivation is to help other families understand, and come to an acceptance of their loved one’s condition. I cannot overemphasize the importance of early diagnosis and acceptance. In families where there is no total acceptance, where family members are not on the same page, discord and misunderstanding are most likely to occur. Denial is only to the detriment of the person with dementia.”

Growing up, Cathy said her mom would often admonish her to keep it real, which is why she believes the actress would prefer to share her plight if she knew that it would help others on a similar journey.

In another Facebook post, Cathy also said that nowadays, Caridad talks about returning to her hometown.

“She knows that in Cebu she has a lot of family. My prayer now is for her to be strong the way she is now, so that she can visit Cebu next year when the world will be safe once more.” – VAB