Lifestyle Health Tony Bennett and Wife Susan Benedetto Wear Purple for Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month Tony Bennett was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2016, which his family revealed in a profile for AARP The Magazine in February 2021 By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Instagram Twitter Nicholas Rice is an Associate Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. Nicholas has previous work experience with Billboard, POPSUGAR, Bustle and Elite Daily. When not working, Nicholas can be found playing with his 5 dogs, listening to pop music or eating mozzarella sticks. People Editorial Guidelines Published on June 2, 2022 10:32 AM Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Tony Bennett/Instagram Tony Bennett and wife Susan Benedetto are marking an important time of the year. The 95-year-old musician posted a picture to Instagram Wednesday, in which he and Benedetto, 55, wore complementary purple shirts to mark Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. "June is Alzheimer's & Brain Awareness Month. Susan and I are going purple with the @alzassociation to raise awareness for a disease that is impacting our family and many of yours," Bennett wrote alongside his post. "We hope you join us and #GoPurple to #ENDALZ!" In the comments section, the couple received a warm message from the Alzheimer's Association for showing support. "Thank you, Tony & Susan, for sharing your story and raising important Alzheimer's awareness. 💜 #ENDALZ," the organization wrote. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. JP Yim/Getty Tony Bennett's Family Reveals He Was Diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2016: 'We Have Great Doctors' Alzheimer's is a brain disease characterized by progressive memory loss and can often lead to dementia, per alz.org. Many of those who suffer from the disease end up losing their ability to speak, understand and recognize their loved ones. Bennett's family opened up about his secret battle with Alzheimer's disease in a profile for AARP The Magazine in February 2021. There, the legendary musician's family said that Bennett was officially diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease in 2016, and opened up about why they decided to share his story now. Want to get the biggest stories from PEOPLE every weekday? Subscribe to our new podcast, PEOPLE Every Day, to get the essential celebrity, entertainment and human interest news stories Monday through Friday. Benedetto said that they made the difficult decision to go public about her husband's diagnosis without his input, as he is "incapable of understanding the disease," AARP said. According to the profile, Bennett is still capable of recognizing his friends and family and has been spared some of the worst symptoms of Alzheimer's — such as episodes of rage, terror and depression. However, Benedetto — who has become his primary caregiver — told the magazine that he is "not always sure where he is or what is happening around him" and that "mundane objects as familiar as a fork or a set of house keys can be utterly mysterious to him."