Jack Hanna’s family says famed zookeeper ‘continues to decline’ amid battle with ‘advanced’ Alzheimer’s

nypost.com:

Jack Hanna’s family shared a heartbreaking update amid the famed zookeeper and TV host’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease.The 77-year-old former director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s family released a statement in which they said Hanna’s condition has worsened as the degenerative brain disease progressed.“We wish we had good news to share, but Jack continues to decline and has all the symptoms one would anticipate with advanced Alzheimer’s,” Hanna’s family said in their statement to People magazine. “Each day, we do our best to find joy – even when things are challenging,” they continued.“We hope that sharing Jack’s diagnosis of Alzheimer’s brings awareness to the disease that affects almost 7 million Americans and their families.”Alzheimer’s disease, which is the most common type of dementia, is a progressive brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and behavior.

Over time, symptoms become severe enough to interfere with daily tasks, per the Altzheimer’s Association.The disease usually progresses through three stages – early, middle and late.

Late-stage Altzheimer’s is sometimes referred to as “severe” or “advanced” in the medical community. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, people in the late stage of the disease lose the ability to respond to their environment, communicate and, eventually, control movement.

In April 2021, Hanna’s daughters Kathaleen, Suzanne and Julie, whom he shares with his wife Suzi, revealed their father’s diagnosis for the first time.“Today we reach out to share some personal Hanna Family news.