Casey Kasem Missing: Casey Kasem’s Daughter Given Healthcare Decision Power by Court Order; What Is Lewy Body Dementia

Casey Kasem Missing: Casey Kasem's daughter will be taking a bigger part in decisions concerning the radio legend's health.

According to multiple reports Casey Kasem's wife and her attorneys were delivered a court order from California Friday afternoon, giving Casey's daughter Kerri Kasem expanded power over his healthcare. Casey Kasem was reported missing last week and Kasem's daughters believe Jean Kasem, Casey's wife, removed Kasem from California to limit how much access his daughter had to her father and to fulfill her responsibilities as temporary conservator.

The new order gives Kerri Kasem, Casey's daughter from a prior marriage, "the power to exercise exclusive authority" to make health care decisions on her father's behalf.

The order says "Casey Kasem lacks the capacity to give informed consent to any form of medical treatment because he is unable to respond knowingly and intelligently regarding medical treatment."

Casey Kasem's children claimed they were barred from seeing their father because of an agreement with their stepmother. Julie Kasem said "All because his children dared to come and visit him. Crazy, crazy, crazy. Such a case of isolation. ... Jean was talking to her niece in Washington on the phone, saying, 'I need an Indian reservation with a private airstrip and I want to bring Casey there.' Her nephew overheard, and immediately alerted Kerri [Kasem, Julie's sister]. "We're all sort of family, in a twisted way."

Casey Kasem's first wife, Linda Myers Naylor, who is the mother of Julie, Kerri, and Mike Kasem, says Casey was isolated by his second wife, Jean. "No one was allowed to visit. Jean visited [Casey] once in a while on the weekend. The kids got to see their dad, he mouthed, 'I love you.' Then his wife [Jean] went in that night, dumped him into a car and took him away. He had an IV plus a stomach feeding tube. ...  This horrible woman, he's literally afraid of her."

Casey's daughter Kerri Kasem was appointed her father's temporary caretaker on Monday.

Casey Kasem had previously been incorrectly diagnosed as having an advanced form of Parkinson's disease. It was announced recently that the radio voice star got a diagnosis of Lewy body dementia.

Kasem, 82, returns to the headlines with the sad news that he has Lewy body dementia that was misdiagnosed as Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. Lewy body dementia afflicts 1.3 million Americans. It is a progressive brain disorder in which Lewy bodies, which are abnormal deposits of a protein called alpha-synuclein, build up in areas of the brain that regulate behavior, cognition, and movement.

Michael Koehler, President of the Lewy Body Dementia Association, told NewsWise "It's not surprising Casey Kasem was misdiagnosed. LBD is the most misdiagnosed form of dementia, and it takes on average over 18 months and three doctor visits to receive a correct diagnosis of LBD."

Casey Kasem is best known as the host of "American Top 40." He also hosted "Casey's Top 40" from 1989 to 1998 and was the voice of Shaggy on "Scooby Doo." Former American Top 40 radio DJ Casey Kasem, 82, is reportedly worth $80 million.  

Tags
world news
Casey Kasem
casey kasem missing
Join the Discussion

Latest Photo Gallery

Real Time Analytics