Roo'ra's Chae Ri-na to share story of caring for parents with dementia

Singer Chae Ri-na will appear on Channel A's 'Star Health Ranking Number One' on the 4th to discuss caring for both parents at home. Her mother's dementia symptoms worsened following the death of their long-time family dog, Yeong-sun, who was with the family for 12 years.

Singer Chae Ri-na is set to reveal that both of her parents have been diagnosed with dementia. Following her father's diagnosis, her mother was also diagnosed a year ago, leaving Chae to personally care for both parents at home despite her busy entertainment career. The situation is compounded by her mother's worsening symptoms following the death of their long-time family dog.

On the Channel A program 'Star Health Ranking Number One' airing on the 4th, Chae Ri-na will appear to share her family's health issues and daily life. When MC Ji Suk-jin asked about the current status of the Roo'ra members, Chae joked that Lee Sang-min and Kim Ji-hyun are doing well and "haven't had to use canes yet." While she lightened the mood by humorously mentioning the members' health as they enter their 50s, she soon transitioned to the heavy topic regarding her family.

Chae revealed that while her father is already being managed following a dementia diagnosis, her mother received her diagnosis one year ago. As both parents struggle with memory and cognitive functions, Chae is balancing her professional activities with dedicated caregiving at home, making family health a central part of her daily life.

Her mother's symptoms have manifested in her everyday habits. Her mother, who was once a skilled cook capable of running a Jeonju bibimbap restaurant, began repeatedly purchasing the same ingredients before her diagnosis. Chae is experiencing the difficulties of these symptoms firsthand while monitoring her mother's daily routine.

The broadcast will show Chae checking the refrigerator on her day off. Upon finding five bags of bean sprouts and three radishes, she called out to her mother, saying, "So-yeong, you're going to get in trouble!" She also shared the struggle of repetitive purchases, noting, "Last summer, we kept buying watermelons and even made fruit punch." These changes in familiar daily routines have presented significant challenges for the family.

Her affection for her family was also evident during a video call with her husband, Park Yong-keun. Park, a former professional baseball player currently working as a coach in a provincial area, affectionately urged his mother-in-law, saying, "Our So-yeong! Mother-in-law, please make sure to take your medicine!" While Chae cares for her parents, her husband also expressed warm concern for his mother-in-law's health.

The broadcast also contains another heartbreaking story. To mark the first anniversary of the passing of Yeong-sun, a pet dog that was like family for 12 years, Chae and her mother commemorated the pet in a memorial space set up in a corner of their home. Her mother expressed the lingering grief, stating, "It was very hard after our Yeong-sun left. That memory doesn't disappear."

Chae noted that her mother's dementia symptoms worsened after the passing of Yeong-sun. The loss of the dog they had been with for a long time remained a great sorrow for her mother, and her confession that the memory does not easily fade highlighted the family's deep pain. Even as dementia causes memories to blur, the grief of losing the pet remains vivid.

Between caring for both parents with dementia and the family's wounds from losing their pet, Chae Ri-na's daily life carries a weight different from her bright stage persona. Her family story will be revealed on Channel A's 'Star Health Ranking Number One' at 8 PM on the 4th. While neurologist Son Yu-ri, oriental medicine doctor Kim Jeong-jin, doctor Kim Ji-hyun, and pharmacist Heo Da-eun appear to provide health information, attention is also focused on the family story Chae will share.

Read the original (Korean)