“Take tiny breaks for yourself from time to time," the actress said
Credit: Michael Loccisano/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Candice Bergen reflects on caregiving for her late husbands and shares advice for maintaining self-care during challenging times
- The actress now prioritizes her own health after a stroke and bike accident left her with lingering issues
- Bergen works out with a personal trainer five days a week to stay active and maintain mobility
Candice Bergen is reflecting on her time as a caregiver.
In an AARP “Movies for Grownups” interview, the actress spoke about her experience taking care of both of her late husbands. Her first husband Louis Malle, French film director, died at 63 years old in 1995 from complications related to lymphoma. Her second husband, Marshall Rose, died at 88 years old in February 2025 from complications with Parkinson's disease.
Bergen, 79, offered advice to those who may be current caregivers, noting that it’s easy to put yourself on the back burner.
“Take tiny breaks for yourself from time to time — short lunches with good old friends that you’ve lost touch with,” she told the outlet. “Do things for yourself to keep yourself normal.”
Credit: Eric Robert/Sygma/Sygma via Getty; Neilson Barnard/Getty
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Nowadays, Bergen’s focus is on taking care of her own health, especially after suffering a stroke and bike accident several years ago. The Murphy Brown star said she has a few lingering health issues, but “they’re manageable.”
“The bike accident — I fractured my pelvis, which was a new kind of pain. I actually saw stars. You can’t move for a long time; it’s too painful,” she recalled. “I had great care at a hospital in New York called HSS [Hospital for Special Surgery], which is for people with orthopedic injuries.”
Credit: Disney/Scott Kirkland
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 celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
The Emmy winner admitted that since the accident, she won’t go near a bike again.
“In Sun Valley there were some bikes, and as I walked by, I thought, Can I do this? No, I can’t. I made a shaky turn around the circle, and I got off. I said, ‘I can’t do it,’” she said.
Instead, Bergen said she works out with her personal trainer five days a week in her building’s gym.
“I’ve known him for years, and he worked with my husband when he was ill, and he’s just very savvy and knows his stuff,” she shared. “It’s very little cardio; I barely break a sweat. I said today, ‘You’re just trying to keep me alive, right?’ It’s just to remember how to move stuff, keep your joints … to get the blood pumping a little bit.”
Read the full article here
