If you spent any time watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show over its massive 19-season run, you basically felt like you knew Betty DeGeneres. She was the permanent fixture in the front row. The supportive, smiling mom who seemed to handle her daughter’s sharp wit with total grace. But since the show wrapped and Ellen mostly retreated from the Hollywood grind, people have been asking: is Ellen’s mother ok?
It’s a fair question. Betty is a legend in her own right—an activist who changed the game for parents of LGBTQ+ kids back when it wasn’t "cool" or easy to do so.
Honestly, the news lately has been a bit of a mixed bag. As of early 2026, Betty is still with us, but things have definitely changed for the DeGeneres matriarch. At 95 years old, she’s facing the kinds of hurdles you’d expect at that age, and Ellen hasn't been shy about sharing the reality of their situation.
The Dementia Diagnosis That Changed Everything
In her 2024 Netflix special, For Your Approval, Ellen got surprisingly real. She dropped the news that Betty had been diagnosed with dementia. It was a heavy moment in a set that otherwise poked a lot of fun at her own "cancellation" and her new life in the English countryside.
Dementia is a beast. It’s not just about forgetting where you put your keys; it’s a fundamental shift in how a person interacts with the world. For someone like Betty, who was always so sharp and outspoken—remember, she was a speech therapist and a published author—this diagnosis felt particularly poignant.
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Where is Betty DeGeneres Now?
Fans got a rare look at Betty’s current life just a few weeks ago. On Christmas Day 2025, Ellen posted a photo on Instagram that caught a lot of people off guard. It wasn't the usual high-glitz holiday card.
In the photo, Betty is sitting in a wheelchair, surrounded by Ellen, her brother Vance, and his wife Joanna. They all look happy, but it’s clear Betty is in a different stage of life. She looks like a woman who is being very well cared for, likely in a specialized facility, though the family keeps the exact details private.
There’s been some confusion about whether Betty moved to the UK with Ellen and Portia de Rossi. If you haven't heard, Ellen basically packed up and moved to the Cotswolds in 2024. While Ellen and Portia are living their best rural English life, Betty appears to have stayed in the States where she has her established medical team and her son Vance nearby. Moving a 95-year-old with dementia across the Atlantic isn't exactly a weekend trip.
A History of Resilience
To really understand if Ellen’s mother is "ok," you have to look at what she’s already survived. This isn't Betty's first rodeo with a major health scare.
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- Breast Cancer Survivor: Back when Ellen was just 16, Betty fought breast cancer. She ended up having a mastectomy. This was in the 70s—a time when people barely even whispered the word "cancer," let alone talked about the emotional toll it took on a family.
- The Activism Years: After Ellen came out in 1997, Betty didn’t just accept it; she became the first straight spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign’s National Coming Out Project. She wrote books like Love, Ellen and Just a Mom. She was tireless.
She’s always been a fighter. So, while dementia is a new kind of battle, Betty has a track record of being incredibly tough.
What Ellen Has Said About Caregiving
Ellen has touched on the "aging" process quite a bit recently. She’s dealt with her own health stuff—osteoporosis and OCD—but seeing her mom go through dementia has clearly left a mark. In her stand-up and recent interviews, she’s hinted at the "quiet" of her life now.
It's a huge shift. One minute you're the most famous person on daytime TV with your mom waving from the audience, and the next, you're navigating the complexities of cognitive decline.
Is she ok? Physically, she’s 95. That comes with limitations. Mentally, the dementia is progressing. But from everything the family has shared, she is comfortable, loved, and surrounded by people who have her back.
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Common Misconceptions About Betty’s Status
Because the internet is the internet, rumors fly.
- "Did Betty DeGeneres pass away?" No. This confusion often stems from the death of Alice Hirson in early 2025. Alice played Ellen’s TV mom on the 90s sitcom Ellen. When she passed at 95, a lot of headlines were phrased in a way that made people think it was Betty.
- "Is she living in England?" Unlikely. Most signs point to her staying in California or near family in the US who can manage her specific care needs.
- "Is Ellen ignoring her?" Hardly. The Christmas 2025 post and Vance's frequent updates show the family is very much involved.
What You Can Do if You're Following the Story
If you’re a fan of Betty and want to honor her legacy, there are a few things that actually matter more than refreshing a news feed. Betty spent decades advocating for PFLAG and the Human Rights Campaign. Supporting those organizations is basically the "Betty DeGeneres way" of staying connected.
Watching the 2024 Netflix special For Your Approval also gives a lot of context. It’s probably the most honest Ellen has ever been about the "human" side of her mother's current state.
Actionable Insights:
- Check the source: If you see a "RIP" post on social media, verify it through a major outlet like People or The Hollywood Reporter. Celebrity death hoaxes are rampant, especially for stars in their 90s.
- Support Dementia Research: If Betty’s story hits home, looking into the Alzheimer's Association can provide resources for your own family or ways to donate.
- Revisit the Books: If you want to remember the "active" Betty, grab a copy of Love, Ellen. It’s a great reminder of why she became a household name in the first place.
Betty DeGeneres is currently 95 years old and living with dementia. While she isn't the public figure she once was, she remains a central part of her children's lives. The transition from being "America’s Mom" to a private citizen requiring care is a journey millions of families go through, and the DeGeneres family is clearly navigating it with as much privacy and dignity as possible.
Next Steps for Readers
If you're interested in Betty’s legacy of activism, I can help you find the most recent publications from the Human Rights Campaign or provide a summary of her book Love, Ellen to see how she paved the way for LGBTQ+ families.