The Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program
The Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program’s mission is to help erase the stigma and misunderstanding of dementia by encouraging conversation about the disease, while advancing education and training that leads to compassionate care for individuals as well as support for caregivers and families.
Dementia’s Impacts
- Every 65 seconds, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
- 1 in 3 seniors die with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.
- Florida has more than 9% of U.S. Alzheimer’s patients or about 580,000.
- It’s projected that more than 700,000 Floridians will be living with Alzheimer’s by 2025.
- Approximately 14,000 Marion County residents 65+ are estimated to have dementia.
Education and Support
The Nancy Renyhart Dementia Education Program staff have extensive Alzheimer’s and dementia education training and certifications to support residents of Marion County. This program also includes the Virtual Dementia Tour® allowing participants to walk in the shoes of a person with dementia. As a part of these educational efforts, Hospice of Marion County staff receive specialized training to support patients living with dementia and their caregivers. Memory Café events allow caregivers and their loved ones to connect through group discussions and reminiscing, while using expressive arts resulting in more positive interactions. Area medical professionals, first responders as well as community members have also been touched by this program.
One Man’s Vision
In 2020, following the death of his wife Nancy, Hospice of Marion County volunteer John Renyhart established an endowment in her memory to support dementia education. John was Nancy’s full-time caregiver during her 9-year struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She benefited greatly from hospice care during her illness and at the time of her death. John wanted to pay it forward through the creation of this innovative program.
Our goal is that no caregiver will walk their caregiving journey alone. We’re a phone call away and we’re here to help. Call (352) 291-5138 to learn more about the dementia education and support available to our community.