Helen Reddy Dies With Dementia at Age 78

Singer Helen Reddy, known for many top 40 hits in the 1970’s, has died in a Los Angeles nursing home after suffering with dementia since 2015.

Recommend This Page
Helen Reddy Dies With Dementia at Age 78
3 Min Read August 4th, 2015 Updated:November 6th, 2020

Australian singer Helen Reddy, known for several hits in the 1970s, including "I Am Woman," "Delta Dawn," and "Angie Baby" has died at age 78.

Reddy was diagnosed with dementia in 2015 and lived in a Los Angeles nursing home for professional entertainers.  

Family Makes Announcement

In a statement posted to her fan page, Reddy's children announced their Mom's death.

"It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Helen Reddy, on the afternoon of September 29th, 2020, in Los Angeles," the statement said.

"She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother, and a truly formidable woman. Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever."

Reddy Dominated Top 40 Radio in 70s

Her voice was huge in the 70s as pop radio played her hits. Reddy's 1971 version of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" started a decade of hits, three of which reached No. 1.

She had six top 40 chart hits in the 70s. "I Am Woman" went number one on the charts in 1972. "Delta Dawn" and "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" went number one in 1973. "Angie Baby" was number one in 1974.

In 1973 she won the best female vocal pop performance Grammy Award for "I Am Woman," the first Australian to do so. She was the world's top-selling female vocalist in 1973 and 1974.

Reddy also appeared as a singing nun in the hit movie "Airport 1975".

In 2015 Australia radio station 2ST's Pete Brandtman reported that Reddy was diagnosed with dementia and moved into a Los Angeles nursing facility where she has been cared for until her death. 

At the time, a story by Los Angles entertainment journalist Alan Duke from website "Lead Stories" reported the new in what he called an "exclusive."

 “While one source says the progressive illness is in its early stages, marked by Reddy "asking same question every few minutes," another source suggested the symptoms were more advanced. She would forget where she put something and then suspect someone stole it, the second source said.

Alan Duke, from website “Lead Stories”

Reddy became a resident of the Motion Picture and Television Fund's Samuel Goldwyn Center for Behavioral Health in Woodland Hills, California, in June, both sources confirmed.

List of Musicians Who Suffered with Dementia

Reddy has joined a long list of musicians that have been silenced due to some form of dementia. Some of the names include:

  • Sean Connery
  • Malcolm Young, AC/DC musician
  • Glen Campbell, Country Music Star
  • Perry Como, Singer entertainer
  • Thomas Dorsey, singer
  • John Mann, songwriter
  • Kay Swift, composer
  • Rudolph Bing, opera impresario
  • Aaron Copland, composer

Interestingly enough, music has been shown to benefit those who have dementia. MUSIC & MEMORY® is a non-profit organization that has worked in this area. The group creates music playlists for those with dementia who live in long-term care facilities. These music playlists have helped patients reduce their dependence on antipsychotic medication. The music has shown to lessen their disruptive behavior.

Recommend This Page

About the Author

An LTC News author focusing on long-term care and aging.

LTC News Contributor James Kelly

James Kelly

Contributor since August 21st, 2017

Editor's Note

One of the questions often asked about Long-Term Care Insurance is whether making a claim and receiving benefits is difficult. Most Long-Term Care Insurance claims are paid without issue.

Long-Term Care Insurance pays billions in benefits to policyholders helping them access quality care, including at home, and reducing the stress and burden otherwise placed on family members.

LTC NEWS has teamed up with Amada Senior Care to provide you with quality in-home care options, including free - no cost or obligation Long-Term Care Insurance claims processing and case management

If a loved one needs in-home care, whether they have LTC Insurance or not, Amada may be your choice for quality care options.

LTC NEWS has these comprehensive guides to help you in your process of finding care for a loved one now:

Find Professional Help in Obtaining Your LTC Policy

LTC Insurance is custom-designed, but premiums vary dramatically between insurance companies. Every insurance company must file its products and pricing with the state's insurance department before being offered to consumers. What that means is no insurance agent or agency can offer special deals. 

Seeking professional help is vital when shopping for Long-Term Care Insurance. There are not many Long-Term Care Insurance specialists who work with the top companies and have a complete understanding of underwriting, policy design, pricing, claims, partnership, and other important aspects of LTC Insurance.

Look for some of these factors in finding an LTC Insurance specialist:

  • An LTC Specialist will usually have helped at least 100 people or more with LTC Insurance. Be sure to ask; some specialists have helped thousands nationwide.
  • An LTC Specialist will typically work with most of the major insurance companies offering these products, not just one or two.
  • An LTC Specialist typically has years or more of experience and holds a Certified in Long-Term Care® designation (CLTC®).
  • An LTC Specialist will understand the current and future cost of long-term health care and how most care is delivered so they can make professional recommendations without "over-insuring" the individual. 
  • An LTC Specialist will offer all types of long-term care solutions, including traditional (including Partnership plans), asset-based "hybrid" policies, and short-term cash indemnity policies. 
  • An LTC Specialist will know the underwriting rules with all the major insurance companies so they can match your age, health, family history, and other factors to provide you with accurate quotes.
  • An LTC Specialist will typically have firsthand experience helping a client's family in the claim process.

Most people obtain coverage in their 40s and 50s.

LTC NEWS Can Benefit Your Website and Business

LTC NEWS offers a variety of marketing and advertising options to help you reach your target audience. Our sponsored content articles are a highly effective way to drive traffic to your website, increase brand awareness, and build relationships with potential customers.

Benefits of Sponsored Content on LTC NEWS

  • Drives website traffic: Sponsored content articles are placed on LTC NEWS's homepage and in other high-traffic areas of the website, ensuring that your message is seen by a large audience.
  • Increases brand awareness: Sponsored content articles are written in a way that educates and engages readers, helping to position your brand as a thought leader in your industry.
  • Connects with target audience: LTC NEWS's audience is made up of people who are interested in long-term care, making it a great way to reach potential customers who are already considering your products or services.
  • Improves SEO: Sponsored content articles are written in a way that is optimized for search engines, helping to improve your website's ranking in search results.

In summary, sponsored content on LTC NEWS is a powerful marketing tool that can help you boost website traffic, SEO, brand recognition, and audience engagement.

Learn more about how LTC NEWS can help market your business, drive traffic, and improve SEO - Advertise With Us | LTC News.

LTC NEWS: Share Your News with Us

LTC NEWS is a leading website for news and information about aging, caregiving, health, lifestyle, long-term care, and retirement planning. We are always looking for new stories to share with our readers. 

If your group, organization, business, or political committee has news to share, we encourage you to submit a press release to us.

You can submit your press release - newsroom@ltcnews.com 

LTC News Trusted & Verified

Work With a Trusted Specialist

Get Accurate Long-Term Care Insurance Quotes

  • Has substantial experience in Long-Term Care Insurance
  • Strong understanding of underwriting, policy design, and claims experience
  • Represents all or most of all the leading insurance companies
man and woman sitting at desk
Latest
  • Latest

  • Oldest

Everything
  • Homecare

  • Health

  • Government

  • Care Facilities

  • Pets

  • People

  • Lifestyle

  • Insurance

No Results

Step 1 of 4

Find a Specialist

Get Started Today

Trusted & Verified Specialists

Work with a trusted Long-Term Care Insurance Specialist Today

  • Has substantial experience in Long-Term Care Insurance
  • A strong understanding of underwriting, policy design, and claims experience
  • Represents all or most of all the leading insurance companies

LTC News Trusted & Verified

Compare Insurers

+