Emma Heming Willis is opening up about one of the hardest choices she’s had to make as her husband, Bruce Willis, battles frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

In a recent interview with People, Emma explained that Bruce has moved into his own nearby home where he can have the calm and serene atmosphere needed for his health. “It was the hardest thing,” she admitted. His diagnosis “requires a calm and serene atmosphere,” and separating the family’s spaces was the only way to make that possible.

“We have two young children, and it was just important that they had a home that supported their needs and that Bruce could have a place that supported his needs,” Emma said. “The kids can have playdates and sleepovers [again] and not have to walk around tiptoeing.”

Emma first revealed the decision in August during the ABC special Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey, calling it one of “the hardest decisions” she’s faced since his diagnosis in February 2023.

Her honesty sparked backlash online, which led her to address critics in an Instagram video. She reminded people that “even if someone is familiar with dementia, they do not understand the inner workings of any specific situation and they don’t know how your person is behaving or your family dynamics.”

She echoed the same thought to People: “Dementia plays out differently in everyone’s home” and families need to do “what’s right for your family dynamic.” She admitted, “It’s heartbreaking to me. But this is how we were able to support our whole family, [and] it has opened up Bruce’s world.”

Though Bruce lives with round-the-clock caregivers in his new home, the family remains closely connected. Emma said she visits every morning and evening, describing the house as their “second home.”

“I get to go back to being Bruce’s wife and the kids can be kids and there’s beauty in that, and I’m so grateful for that,” she said. “I just get to be with him in these moments and that is because of this set-up we have. It’s been helpful for us.”

Emma also shared that Bruce’s relationship with their two daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, remains strong. “This is what Bruce would want for our daughters,” she told Diane Sawyer earlier. He would want them to live in a home “tailored to their needs.”

Even Bruce’s ex-wife, Demi Moore, has publicly praised Emma’s strength. Speaking on “The Oprah Podcast,” Moore said she has “so much compassion for her,” adding, “There is no road map for how to deal with this. So much fell on Emma to really figure this whole thing out. And the most beautiful thing, and she talks about this in the book, was recognizing the importance for caregivers that they have to take care of themselves. If they don’t put that time into making sure that they’re OK, then they can’t show up for anyone else.”

For Emma, the journey is far from easy, but her commitment shines through. By making the painful decision to move Bruce into a home designed for his care, she has created a space where their children can thrive and where she can still treasure her role as Bruce’s wife.