OCALA, FL (352today.com) – It was his first wife’s diagnosis in 2011 that changed John Renyhart’s life.

Nancy Renyhart was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, an early form of dementia that has 80 different types. The first signs included forgetfulness, repeating things, and other common symptoms that happen when someone starts having memory problems.

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“It evolved to the point in 2013, where we were going to Dr. [Jose] Gaudier, who was one of the most well-known neurologists in the community,” said Ocala resident John Renyhart. “I asked if I could get a second opinion, so he sent us up to Shands and they have wonderful care up there. The memory care center was really an incredible experience. They formally diagnosed it as Alzheimer’s, and at the time, they were able to do it through extensive bloodwork.”

What John learned through his experience was that dementia doesn’t evolve the same way with everybody. He also discovered something new about himself: he was a caregiver. He realized that taking care of someone with dementia comes with its own set of challenges.

“It’s a journey that’s so unique because every day, you don’t know what’s going to happen, from one day to the next,” said John. “[Nancy’s] progressed fairly rapidly and in 2015, she ended up in the hospital with silent aspiration, bacterial pneumonia because she was having trouble swallowing.”

Nancy’s problems became clear while she was attending the Blessed Trinity Elder Care Program. Her swallowing difficulties made things harder for the staff. Eventually, Nancy was hospitalized, and John brought in hospice care.

Dr. Gaudier, who was on the board of Hospice of Marion County, made a call and asked for Nancy to be evaluated.

“She was in hospice for 15 months at home,” John mentioned. “It was a godsend to have hospice in this role. Dr. [David] Elliott, who is the Elliott Center, was her physician.”

The team that looked after Nancy remains active in the community, with the nurse and CNA still working in the same roles. Nancy Renyhart passed away in hospice in 2020.

“I just felt compelled. I needed to do something,” said Renyhart, who has since remarried. “My career was in the nonprofit arena. I spent 40 years of my career in nonprofit management, raising money for charity. We needed to do something to create a legacy.”

John is familiar with the challenges associated with being a caregiver for someone with dementia. He wanted to create something that would help educate others facing similar situations, making it easier for them to find resources and support.

“I went to Rick Bourne, who, at the time, was the president and CEO of hospice, and I said to Rick, ‘I have an idea, and I’d like to start an endowment to support dementia education here in Marion County,'” John recalls. “So, we did, and the board gave its blessing, and that went on for a year or two. Then we started raising money to feed the endowment. We ran a golf tournament, and it was the year that we honored Ken Daley, who is a board member of hospice. He runs Tri-Eagle Sales; he’s the Budweiser distributor for northern Florida.”

It was Daley who came up with the idea of the Nancy Renyhart Dementia Center for Education, and the hospice board decided to include dementia education in its mission.

“I owe everything to hospice,” John shared.

State Representative Stan McClain was instrumental in obtaining a $375,000 donation from the State of Florida for the renovation of a building formerly called Estelle’s House. Over the next few months, four fundraisers are planned, starting with a clay shoot in November, followed by three events in January, including a golf tournament at Golden Ocala. Country artist Jay Allen will perform at these events, and all proceeds will support the renovation of the dementia center.

They aim to connect not only with caregivers and families but also with first responders and law enforcement. These individuals participate in what John calls the Virtual Dementia Tour, which lasts three to four hours. This training helps participants understand the senses and how losing them affects the lives of dementia patients. Another goal is to decrease the number of 911 calls made by these patients.

“We have an ambitious objective, and along the way we’re winning a lot of support for what we’re trying to accomplish,” said John. “There are very few people who haven’t been touched.”