“His memory, prior to the pandemic, was so much better. “This has been a real blow from a cognitive perspective,” Dr. Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic forced him to pause his public performances. Thank you to Susan and my family for their support, and The Magazine for telling my story.
Though Tony could see “utterly mystified about his whereabouts” while backstage before a concert, the moment the announcer goes, “Ladies and gentlemen – Tony Bennett!” it would flip a switch, and he would go into performance mode. “It kept him on his toes and also stimulated his brain in a significant way,” the doctor added. Devi has also encouraged Danny and Susan to keep Tony singing and performing for as long as he could happily do so. And he rises to her expectations.” The doctor noted that if a fan recognizes Tony in the clinic’s waiting room, Susan would turn to her husband and say, “ ‘Tony B! A fan of yours is saying hello!’ And he then turns to the person with his big blues, smiles his smile, and says, ‘How are you?’ or ‘Thank you!’ The charisma and magnetism get turned on.”ĭr. I think her background as a teacher helps, but she’s also very much in love with him. “I’ve been humbled by the level of devotion,” Dr. On top of that, Tony’s high functioning is attributed to his family’s support, especially his wife, Susan.Īlso Read: Voter Disinformation Campaign Threatens Democrat Voters Elton John, Lady Gaga, and Tony Bennett pose for photographs after Bennett and Lady Gaga’s performance as part of the Cheek to Cheek Tour at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Monday, J(AP) Tony is taking the standard Alzheimer’s medications - cholinesterase inhibitors, which AARP notes “regulate the concentration of the brain’s chemical messengers for normal memory function.” He’s also maintaining a regimen of diet and exercise. He really is the symbol of hope for someone with a cognitive disorder.”
He is doing so many things, at 94, that many people without dementia cannot do. Devi says that Tony has some “ cognitive issues, but multiple other areas of his brain are still resilient and functioning well. Gayatri Devi, M.D., a neurologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, diagnosed Tony in 2016, according to AARP. She was like, ‘Absolutely, it’s just another gift that he can give to the world.’ “ Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett pose in the press room with the award for best traditional pop vocal album for “Cheek to Cheek” at the 57th annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. “I wanted to check with her to make sure she was cool,” said Danny, “because she watches his back all the time. Gaga’s bond with Tony was so strong that his eldest son, Danny Bennett, 67, consulted her first before going public with Tony’s diagnosis. “The fact that Tony sees me as a natural-born jazz singer is still something that I haven’t gotten over,” she recently said, and since then, Gaga has been Tony’s devoted protégé. For Gaga, the partnership was a “life-changing moment” since, at the time, she was known mostly for her techno-infused pop tracks and outlandish outfits. Gaga and Tony first teamed up for 2014’s Cheek to Cheek, an album that debuted at the top of the Billboard Top 200 albums chart. Also Read: Spotlight turns to Alphonso Davies ahead of Canada’s World Cup qualifiers in Edmonton Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga perform onstage as part of their Cheek to Cheek Tour at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Monday, J(AP News)