Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

When Hollywood star Rita Hayworth was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 1981 at the age of 62, her daughter Princess Yasmin Aga Khan took on the role of her conservator.

In addition to caring for her mother, Princess Yasmin, who is a half-sister of the Ismaili Muslim spiritual leader, the Aga Khan, also became an early spokesperson for those with Alzheimer’s, bringing public attention to a neurodegenerative disease that few openly discussed.

We Didn't Know Then
What We Know Now"

By Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, president of Alzheimer's Disease International, honorary vice chairman of the national board of the Alzheimer's Association and general chair of the Alzheimer's Association Rita Hayworth Galas

My mother, Rita Hayworth, was the most beautiful and glamorous movie star of the 1940s and 1950s. She spent much of her life memorizing complicated dance routines and movie scripts. How ironic that she would later be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

On May 14, 1987, my mother, Rita Hayworth, died. The cause of death was Alzheimer's Disease. I recall how utterly lost and confused I felt when I first heard the name, Alzheimer's Disease. I had no idea what Alzheimer's was or what to expect.