Real estate titan and Shark Tank investor Barbara Corcoran has opened up about her deeply personal journey through Alzheimer’s disease, first as a caregiver for her late mother and now for her husband. She shares the profound lessons learned from her mother’s battle, emphasizing the empathetic approach of “getting in their world” as a critical strategy for navigating the challenges of memory loss, a philosophy that has also shaped her entrepreneurial success.
Behind the sharp business acumen and dynamic personality of Shark Tank star Barbara Corcoran lies a profound personal history shaped by the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease. Corcoran has faced this “extremely difficult” battle twice: first with her beloved mother, Florence, and now with her husband, Bill Higgins. Through these experiences, she has unearthed invaluable lessons about caregiving, empathy, and resilience that extend far beyond her family life into her successful business ventures.
A Mother’s Legacy: The First Battle with Alzheimer’s
Barbara Corcoran’s initial encounter with Alzheimer’s was through her mother, Florence, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2003 and passed away 12 years ago at the age of 88. Corcoran describes a nine-year process where her mother slowly “disappeared,” starting with minor forgetfulness and escalating to not recognizing close friends or her surroundings. The turning point came when her mother woke up in her younger brother’s apartment, disoriented and unaware of her location, as reported by Fortune.
To navigate this challenging period, Barbara and her nine siblings, who were raised in a two-bedroom house in New Jersey, formed a dedicated care team. Her brother, identified as ‘T’, took the lead, enrolling in a course on Alzheimer’s care. He taught his siblings a crucial lesson: “to live in mom’s reality.”
This principle guided their interactions. When Florence screamed about a snake under her bed, instead of contradicting her, someone would enter the room, pretend to find it, and “beat the hell out of it.” Similarly, when she asked for her deceased husband, the siblings learned to say, “Dad’s out warming up the car,” allowing her to avoid repeated grief. Corcoran recalls a poignant time when her mother found happiness carrying a baby doll, a regression the family fully embraced. Barbara herself contributed financially, stating, “my job was to pay for everything,” while other siblings handled daily care, hospice supervision, or weekly visits, demonstrating a remarkable family unity, according to Fortune.
Applying Lessons Learned: Caring for Husband Bill Higgins
The wisdom gained from caring for her mother proved invaluable when Corcoran’s husband of 37 years, Bill Higgins, a retired Navy captain and former FBI agent, was also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. He currently resides in the memory ward of an extended care home. Corcoran describes this journey as “extremely difficult,” yet her past experience has equipped her with a unique perspective, as she exclusively told Parade.
The major lesson Corcoran applies now is to truly “get in their world.” She explained, “My husband doesn’t know who I am; he’s still back in Annapolis playing football, so I bring football photos and put them on his wall. I ask him to tell me about his plays. He has a great memory for what he did on the football field.” This contrasts sharply with her early attempts with her mother, where she tried to bring her back to reality, a strategy she admits “never really worked.” Corcoran’s approach now focuses on connecting with Bill in his present reality, fostering communication and comfort.
The Emotional Toll and the Call for Support
Despite her strength, Corcoran candidly shared the immense emotional toll of caregiving. Watching her mother fade away was “just very sad,” leading her to believe she was “partially depressed” during the last four years of her mother’s illness. Reflecting on this, she wishes she hadn’t been so stoic and advises others not to “go it alone.”
Corcoran emphasizes the critical need for support, lamenting that some of her friends navigate similar situations completely isolated. “I probably should’ve seen a psychologist. I wanted to help care for her, but I felt burdened and sad,” she told Fortune. She actively promotes awareness campaigns like Recognize Alzheimer’s Agitation and encourages individuals to seek out support groups, stating, “There’s tons of support groups in every city. Get together and talk about it. That feels so good.”
A Philosophy of Resilience: From Family to Business
Beyond caregiving, Corcoran credits her mother for a foundational lesson that shaped her entrepreneurial spirit. Florence, who raised ten children, possessed an uncanny ability to identify the unique “gift” in each of them. Barbara modeled her real estate company on this very principle, striving to recognize and leverage the individual strengths of her employees. “The first ingredient was going to be that I took on the attitude my mother had about us as children,” she shared at a recent Clover x Shark Tank Summit, emphasizing the importance of placing people in roles where they can prosper.
This philosophy of identifying potential and fostering an environment of growth extends to her role as an investor on Shark Tank. Corcoran looks for entrepreneurs with resilience and the ability to “bounce back.” She explains, “There are a million reasons to give up a journey because it’s not easy… I really do judge people on how quickly they bounce back.” Her investments, like Cousins Maine Lobster, exemplify this, showcasing how hard work and a supportive community can overcome hardships.
Beyond Caregiving: Personal Reflections on Aging and Fear
Corcoran’s experiences have also deepened her own apprehension about aging and memory loss. She admits to being “admittedly vain,” having had three facelifts, and focusing on her self-image. However, a more serious preoccupation is the fear of developing Alzheimer’s herself. Finding her phone in the freezer prompted a series of cognitive tests, which fortunately confirmed she does not have the disease. This fear is understandable given her family history, with both her grandmother and mother affected, in addition to two good friends battling it, as documented by Fortune.
Despite her past sadness and ongoing challenges, Barbara Corcoran continues to find moments of joy and humor, like her memorable 70th mock funeral or her 75th birthday celebration in the Cayman Islands. Her children, raised during her mother’s illness, were a source of support rather than added stress, demonstrating the power of family bonds even through difficult times.
The Enduring Impact of Empathy
Barbara Corcoran’s journey with Alzheimer’s, from her mother’s battle to her husband’s ongoing fight, serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of empathy and resilience. Her “get in their world” philosophy is more than just a caregiving strategy; it is a profound lesson in human connection and understanding. By sharing her experiences, Corcoran not only honors her mother’s memory but also provides invaluable guidance and a call for community support to countless others facing similar challenges, both in their personal lives and in the entrepreneurial world she champions.
