- Jase Robertson shared an update on his father Phil Robertson’s health following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis on the April 2 episode of the Unashamed with the Robertson Family podcast
- Jase said the “blunt truth” is that Phil, 78, is “not good” and now has “professional care”
- Jase’s cousin Zach Dasher also recounted during the podcast episode how it was difficult to see Phil’s decline during a recent visit
Phil Robertson’s son Jase Robertson is sharing an update on the Duck Dynasty patriarch’s health following his Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis.
During the April 2 episode of the Unashamed with the Robertson Family podcast, Jase — who was joined by his brother Al Robertson and cousin Zach Dasher — revealed that Phil, 78, is not doing well.
“The No. 1 question I get everywhere I go [is], ‘How’s your dad doing?’ Now, I’m just giving the blunt truth. I say, ‘Not good,’ ” he said, noting that his father now has “some professional care.”
Jase, 55, then shared how Zach recently visited with Phil and had a difficult reaction to seeing his health decline. “I pulled in when Zach was coming out … and I was like, ‘How’d that go?’ ” he recalled. “And Zach just lost it, you know, and I kind of realized in that moment when you’re in these battles day by day you kind of compartmentalize everything just so you can deal with it.”
Jase added of his dad: “We’re making him comfortable and we’re doing the best we can. I think that’s just what you do.”
Zach went on to describe his recent visit with Phil, sharing that the former reality TV star was “watching westerns in the bedroom” at the time. “I think when you’re in it like you guys are, you’re seeing the fade. But I hadn’t been around or seen him in a few months. So I come in and it’s like, ‘Whoa,’ ” he said.
Zach then took a moment to reflect on how difficult the experience can be for both the patient and their loved ones and caregivers.
“I’ve said this a lot about dementia and Alzheimer’s. But I think anyone in our audience who’s gone through it … this will resonate with them — that we talk a lot about how it steals the memories of the ones who have the disease,” he said.
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“But for me,” he continued, “it also steals the memory of the ones caring for the people who have the disease because you’re seeing this slow progression over time, and it’s just hard to watch.”
Jase said that overall, it was “a tough trip” visiting Phil. “I didn’t anticipate breaking down on you, Jase,” he noted, to which Jase replied, “Well, it’s just been tough, but we appreciate the prayers.”
Jase first revealed his father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis back in December, sharing at the time that Phil was in the “early stages” of the disease, which is “a brain condition that slowly damages your memory, thinking, learning and organizing skills” and has no cure, per the Cleveland Clinic.
“Phil’s not doing well,” Jase said on the Dec. 6 episode of Unashamed with the Robertson Family. “I think I spoke on the 1,000th podcast. We were trying to figure out the diagnosis, but according to the doctors, they are sure that he has some sort of blood disease causing all kinds of problems.”
“And he has early stages of Alzheimer’s. So, if you put those things together, he’s just not doing well. He’s really struggling,” he continued.
At the time, Jase said his father was keen to return to work. “I’m like, ‘Well Phil, you can barely walk around without crying out in pain, and your memory is not what it once was.’ He’s like, ‘Tell me about it.’ So he is literally unable to — I think he would agree — to just sit down and have a conversation,” he explained.
“We’re trying to do a lot of things to figure out how to make him more comfortable and maybe help with his memory,” he added.
In addition to Jase and Al, Phil is father to sons Jep and Willie, whom he shares with his wife Kay, known as Miss Kay. Phil also has a daughter named Phyllis from a previous relationship.
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