Bruce Willis's Wife Says 'Hard to Know' How Aware He Is of Dementia D

COMING TO TERMS

Bruce Willis's wife, Emma Heming, just revealed how severe her husband's condition is as it pertains to his dementia ... and it sounds worse than what people might've realized.

Emma went on 'Today' Monday morning to discuss Bruce's diagnosis at length -- and she was accompanied by a professional in the field who was there to provide more context on what exactly BW is battling with frontotemporal dementia ... his specific condition.

HARD ON THE WHOLE FAMILY

This is a tough watch, because the situation clearly weighs on Emma and their 2 young daughters together ... something she describes in detail in this heart-wrenching interview.

One standout from her remarks comes when Hoda Kotb asks her, point blank, if Bruce is aware of what's going on with him ... and the answer is telling. Emma says it's "hard to know."

Emma also explains Bruce has lost the ability to make decisions for himself, as opposed to outright memory loss -- although, it sounds like that too might be affected.

In any case, it's evident Emma is now overseeing his well-being. She says she doesn't consider herself his caretaker now, but a "care partner."

When it comes to their kids ... Emma says she's been honest with them on the science of what's happening to their dad.

As we reported ... Bruce's family announced last year that he'd be stepping away from acting, as it had become apparent his health was deteriorating and he needed help.

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Of course, he has a huge family that's stepped up big time during this whole thing -- including his ex, Demi Moore, and all of his adult children too. And, while Bruce has stepped out of the spotlight, he continues to surface in public ... seemingly always in good spirits.