The Story Behind THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Heartbreaking Alzheimer’s Tale
The revelation that Dina is suffering from Alzheimer’s on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS hit the Abbott family hard as they struggle to deal with the debilitating illness. And the reason that the storyline feels so painfully real is because the soap’s executive producer and headwriter, Mal Young, lost his mother to Alzheimer’s.
“Y&R has a long and proud tradition of addressing real-life issues that our audience connects with in their daily lives,” Young said in a statement. “Alzheimer’s is a disease that affects so many of our viewers. It’s our intention not only to entertain and educate, but to provide support to our viewers by telling stories featuring characters they have grown to love and trust.”
To help get the message across, Y&R has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association on the storyline and produced a CBS Cares PSA featuring actor Peter Bergman, whose character of Jack Abbott is struggling to care for his ailing mother. It will debut after the Dec. 8 episode, but you can watch it right here:
“We are grateful to Y&R for shining a light on Alzheimer’s and its impact on people in the U.S. living with the disease and their families,” said Beth Kallmyer, vice president of care and support for the Alzheimer’s Association. “We hope that, through this storyline, viewers will learn more about the disease and its warning signs. No family should face Alzheimer’s alone, and we encourage all those impacted by the disease to reach out to the Alzheimer’s Association for guidance, support, and resources.”
The Abbott family will come together to care for Dina. (Photo Credit: Howard Wise/jpistudios.com)
The Alzheimer’s Association has been involved with the telling of this story since it began earlier in the year, and will continue to be a part of it as the tale continues to unfold and we see the effect that the disease has on Dina and her family who are caring for her.
For more information on Alzheimer’s, please visit the Alzheimer’s Association website at alz.org.
For more Y&R news, keep reading the CBS edition of Soaps In Depth magazine.
More from CBS Soaps In Depth
Thad Luckinbill Brings J.T. Back to Y&R!
