Rumer Willis and her mother Demi Moore put on a united display at the Common Ground screening amid Bruce’s brutal struggle with dementia

By James On Dec 12, 2023

Rumer Willis and Demi Moore performed together at a screening of Common Ground in Los Angeles on Monday.

Rumer, 35, is the eldest child of Demi, 61, and legendary actor Bruce Willis, 68.

Bruce's family has had a very difficult year since his diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia, an unusual form of the disease that causes a deterioration in behavior, personality and language.

But the mother and daughter duo appeared in good spirits for the screening, with Rumer looking radiant in a cozy jumper, while Demi was as age-ready as ever.

Rumer also posed for photos with her boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas, with whom she welcomed her first child Louetta in April.

Rumer Willis and Demi Moore performed together at a screening of Common Ground in Los Angeles on Monday (pictured together, with Nikki Reed, right)

Demi, 61, put on an age-defying display as she joined her daughter Rumer at the screening

They were also joined by Ian Somerhalder from Vampire Diaries and his wife Nikki Reed from Twilight.

Common Ground is the follow-up to the documentary Kiss The Ground and visits farms around the world with celebrities, shedding light on soil biodiversity.

It features Ian Somerhalder, Jason Momoa and Laura Dern.

Meanwhile, Bruce's family is said to be “enjoying every moment” of the Die Hard actor while they can.

A source said UsWeekly: 'Bruce has good days and bad days, but in the past two months there have been far more bad days than good. This experience has brought the whole family even closer together.'

His wife Emma Heming Willis recently fought back tears as she shared an update on his health.

'No one knows how much time Bruce has left, so they enjoy every moment they are with him. (Everything) revolves around him. Bruce has 24-hour care, but at least one family member is with him at all times.”

Bruce – who is married to model Emma, 45, but has daughters Rumer, 35, Scout, 32, and Tallulah, 29, with ex-wife Demi – became a grandfather for the first time when he welcomed his eldest daughter Louetta in April.

Rumer also posed for photos with her boyfriend Derek Richard Thomas, with whom she welcomed her first child Louetta in April

Rumer looked radiant in a cozy sweater as she joined Twilight actress Nikki

Ian Somerhalder has been heavily involved in the Common Ground film, which offers a deep dive into agriculture

Demi (pictured) shares Rumer, 35, Scout, 32, and Tallulah, 29, with her ex-husband Bruce

Ian Somerhalder, Nikki Reed, Rebecca Tickell, Josh Tickell, Demi Moore and Evan Harrison on 'Common Ground'

Bruce and Emma also share two daughters: Mabel Ray, 11, and Evelyn Penn, eight. The couple married in 2009.

The iconic actor became a household name in a number of films, including Pulp Fiction, Die Hard, Moonlighting, Armageddon, The Fifth Element, 12 Monkeys, Unbreakable, Tears of the Sun and many more.

Bruce's condition – which causes problems with behavior and language – was confirmed by his loved ones in a statement earlier this year, which said: 'As a family we wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for the outpouring of love and compassion for Bruce. during the past 10 months.

“Your generosity of spirit has been overwhelming, and we are deeply grateful for it.

“For your kindness, and because we know you love Bruce as much as we do, we wanted to give you an update.

'Since we announced Bruce's aphasia diagnosis in the spring of 2022, Bruce's condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).

'Unfortunately, communication difficulties are just one symptom of the illness Bruce is facing. While this is painful, it is a relief that we finally have a clear diagnosis.”

Bruce Willis' family is said to be 'loving every moment of him' while they can; Demi Moore, Emmy Heming Willis, Bruce, Tallulah, Scout, Rumer, Mabel and Evelyn Willis pictured

Bruce became a grandfather for the first time when his eldest welcomed daughter Louetta (pictured with Rumer and Louetta) in April

Bruce and Demi divorced in 2000 and she married Ashton Kutcher in 2005, while he married Emma in 2009. Despite this, the exes remain good friends to this day. Bruce and Emma seen on October 11, 2019 in NYC

Bruce became a household name in a number of films including Pulp Fiction, Die Hard (pictured), Moonlighting, Armageddon, The Fifth Element, 12 Monkeys, Unbreakable, Tears of the Sun and many more

WHAT IS FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA?

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) affects the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, which deal with behavior, problem solving, planning and emotions.

The left temporal lobe is involved in the meaning of words and the names of objects.

The right recognizes faces and familiar objects.

FTD occurs when nerve cells in these lobes die and the pathways that connect them change.

The symptoms are different than just the memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease.

These may include:

Personality changes, such as becoming tactless, disinterested in others and unsympathetic
Repetitive and compulsive movements, such as constant use of certain phrases, hoarding and obsession with timekeeping
Craving unhealthy food and forgetting table manners
Speaking difficulties, including slow speech, grammatical errors and asking for the meaning of familiar words such as 'bread'

FTD is rare and accounts for less than five percent of all dementia cases.

However, it is one of the most common forms of the disease in people under 65 years of age.

Patients are usually between 45 and 65 years old at diagnosis.

The rate at which FTD develops varies widely, with life expectancy ranging from two years to more than ten years after diagnosis.

As it progresses and more of the brain becomes damaged, symptoms often become similar to those in the late stages of Alzheimer's disease.

This may include memory loss and patients who are dependent on others to care for them.

About 10 to 20 percent of FTD patients also have a motor disorder that affects their movement.

This can lead to muscle twitching, stiffness, slowed movements and loss of balance or coordination.

In later stages, such patients may have difficulty swallowing.

About a third of FTD patients have a family history of dementia.

And the condition is often caused by an inherited defective gene from one of a patient's parents.

Treatment focuses on helping a person live well by relieving their symptoms.

This may include counseling or a speech therapist.

Source: Alzheimer's Association