In 2015, Wesley Barnett, his brother Nick, their wives, and their father Barney Barnett began to see changes in the family’s matriarch, Carol Jenkins Barnett.
“We just noticed, you know, small declines, the ability to remember things, telling the same stories over and over and just not really being as sharp as she had always been,” Wesley, 38, told LkldNow. “We really didn’t know what it was at first, but we went to Mayo Clinic in Rochester and did a full gamut of tests.”
His mother, one of Lakeland’s most generous philanthropists, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She was only 59 years old.
If you go: The “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” is Saturday, Dec. 9 at Bonnet Springs Park. The event begins at 8 a.m. and the walk starts at 9 a.m. Participants are asked to register here. You can form a team of your own or join Carol’s Memory Keepers.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that leads to a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior and social skills. Alzheimer’s disease causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to eventually die. It gradually worsens and affects a person’s ability to function.
The Mayo Clinic says about 6.5 million people in the United States age 65 and older live with Alzheimer’s disease, with more than 70% of them 75 years old and older. Of the about 55 million people worldwide with dementia, about two-thirds are estimated to have Alzheimer’s disease.
Like Jenkins Barnett, “the early signs of the disease include forgetting recent events or conversations. Over time, it progresses to serious memory problems and loss of the ability to perform everyday tasks.”
Watching his mother’s decline and death at 65 has prompted Wesley Barnett to pick up her philanthropy mantle. He talked with LkldNow at Bonnet Springs Park, overlooking its pond. The park, which is privately funded but open to the public for free, opened last year and was his mother’s final project for the town where she was born and grew up. She and her family donated several million dollars to help turn what was once a railroad yard and homeless camp into a premier destination in Lakeland.
On Dec. 9, the Barnetts will host the 2023 Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Bonnet Springs Park. The event begins at 8 a.m. and the walk start at 9 a.m. All funds raised through the walk further the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax-deductible.
“This disease really does affect virtually every member of our community — of all communities — which is why it’s so important that we take the time to do this walk, to register our teams, to invite our friends and family to join us, to raise the money to finally find a cure for Alzheimer’s,” Barnett said.
He and his family have formed a team, called Carol’s Memory Keepers. People can join or contribute to the Barnett’s team or form a team of their own.
Shree Chamberlain, the Alzheimer’s Association’s local fundraising manager, said it’s important for those suffering with the disease and those caring for them to come together.
“This disease is something that’s impacting so many people,” Chamerlain said. “It hasn’t been proven that this disease is genetic, genetic at all. So you never know … it could be you. Why not come and learn and engage with those who are impacted and you might find that some of the warning signs that you did not pay attention are right there?”
Chamberlain said those who want to help can go to their webpage and either sign up for the walk or make a donation.
Barnett said some of the funds help to provide respite care, allowing the main caregivers to take a break and take care of themselves.
“The sad part is that many caregivers suffer different but simultaneous declines because they’re giving so much of themselves to take care of their loved ones,” Barnett said. “Find a support group — the Alzheimer’s Association does a great job with providing support for caregivers. There are some ministries in the community that will help supplement in-home care for those that cannot afford it on their own budgets.”
Barnett said his happiest memories of his mother are vacations at the beach, when she would play in the sand with him and his brother, or in the mountains skiing. He also remembers watching her give speeches around the community about the causes she was most passionate, especially those involving children.
“I know she’ll be looking down and be very happy to see the community that she loves — Lakeland and Polk County — coming together at this park that she, like I said, was her final big charitable endeavor,” Barnett said. “And it’s just all things coming together at once … It’s a bittersweet type of event, but we’re going to try to make it as sweet as possible.”
10 warning signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease:
- Memory loss that disrupts daily life, including forgetting recent events, asking the same questions over and over, and increasingly needing to rely on memory aids (reminder notes or electronic devices) or family members for things they used to handle on their own.
- Challenges in planning events or solving problems, such as following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. They may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than they did before.
- Difficulty completing familiar tasks, like having trouble driving to a familiar location, organizing a grocery list or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
- Confusion with time or place, like losing track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.
- Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships, like vision changes which may lead to difficulty with balance or trouble reading. They may also have problems judging distance and determining color or contrast, causing issues with driving.
- New problems with words in speaking or writing, including trouble following or joining a conversation, stopping in the middle of a conversation and having no idea how to continue, or repeating themselves. They may struggle with vocabulary, have trouble naming a familiar object or using the wrong name for it.
- Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps. He or she may accuse others of stealing, especially as the disease progresses.
- Decreased or poor judgment, in financial matters and/or personal grooming.
- Withdrawal from work, social activities or once-loved hobbies or interests.
- Changes in mood and personality, like mood and personality changes including confusion, suspicion, depression, fearfulness or anxiety. They may be easily upset at home, with friends or when out of their comfort zone.
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