The Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson placed under conservatorship following the death of his wife and dementia diagnosis
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Brian Wilson, 81, the musical genius behind The Beach Boys, has been diagnosed with dementia and needs new conservators to look after him, following the death of his wife Melinda Ledbetter at 77.
Melinda died on January 30, leaving Wilson heartbroken. The pair was married for 28 years and had five adopted children.
Family appoints co-conservators for Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson’s website announced that his family has chosen LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers, longtime Wilson family representatives, to serve as his co-conservators.
The statement posted on Instagram said, “Following the passing of Brian’s beloved wife Melinda, after careful consideration and consultation among Brian, his seven children, [housekeeper] Gloria Ramos and Brian’s doctors (and consistent with family processes put in place by Brian and Melinda), we are confirming that longtime Wilson family representatives LeeAnn Hard and Jean Sievers will serve as Brian’s co-conservators.”
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“This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household and Brian and the children living at home will be taken care of and remain in the home where they are cared for by Gloria Ramos and the wonderful team at the house who have been in place for many years helping take care of the family,” the statement added.
Brain Wilson is unable to give informed consent for treatment
Court documents obtained by the People revealed that Wilson “does not have the capacity to give informed consent to the administration of medications appropriate to the care and treatment of major neurocognitive disorders (including dementia).”
He is also described as someone “unable to properly provide for his or her personal needs for physical health, food, clothing, or shelter.”
A doctor, according to the Guardian, stated that Wilson would not be able to attend a court hearing about the conservatorship.
He said Wilson “often makes spontaneous irrelevant or incoherent utterances, has very short attention span and while unintentionally disruptive, is frequently unable to maintain decorum appropriate to the situation.”
A hearing is scheduled for 26 April to determine the new conservatorship arrangement.
Brian Wilson’s wife was his savior and anchor
Wilson had previously been cared for by his wife Melinda, who died on 30 January aged 77.
“Melinda was more than my wife,” Wilson wrote following her death. “She was my saviour. She gave me the emotional security I needed to have a career," he added.
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"She encouraged me to make the music that was closest to my heart. She was my anchor,” he further stated.
They had married in 1995 and adopted five children together, some of whom still live at home and under the terms of the proposal will remain there and cared for by Ramos and others.
Wilson has long suffered from mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorder, with the latter known to cause hallucinations, paranoia and distorted reality, as per Billboard.
