The colors of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Promise Garden flowers symbolize the shared experiences of those affected by Alzheimer’s. They offer a way for people to connect and feel part of a community that understands the challenges of living with the disease, supporting a loved one, or grieving a loss. For Jennifer Green, this community was a lifeline as she and her family navigated through her father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
In 2007, Jennifer and her family moved to Winston-Salem from New Jersey, along with her parents, Bob and Carol Corrente. Bob, an avid Yankees fan who, prior to his diagnosis, could tell you every player stat. He loved to box and worked in residential construction. He was looking forward to his golden years with Carol, whom he had known since they were in elementary school. They are a very close family and were thrilled when their adult children and grandchildren decided to move to Winston-Salem as well.
In 2016, Jennifer and her husband purchased Bob and Carol’s home and renovated it so that they could all live together. A decision that would prove crucial later on.
A few years ago, Bob began experiencing more unusual forgetfulness and seemed to know something was changing within. Overtime, he had difficulty remembering how to use a drill, a tool he had used all his life. He would often forget what he was doing and why he was doing it. With the family’s insistence to figure out what was going on with their father, they consulted a neurologist. “His forgetfulness started small but grew more serious and frequent,” Jennifer recalls. “It was a siren we could no longer ignore or chalk up to an aging mind.”
Bob was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last year. “When you get that diagnosis, the world stops,” Jennifer remembers. “Everything else the doctor said sounded like the teacher in Charlie Brown, ‘wah-wah-wah’. We were left wondering how to care for him. It was terrifying.”
In the midst of trying to understand this new normal, a specific incident propelled Jennifer to take action. “I found my dad washing our trash bins with gasoline. He thought he was cleaning them. You couldn’t reason with him about the danger. I felt incredibly vulnerable and scared and knew I needed to do something.”
Jennifer reached out to the Alzheimer’s Association, connecting her with a community that understood dementia’s complexities. She joined Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Winston-Salem, forming a team with her real estate firm, Team Coldwell Banker Advantage, and started serving on the Walk’s executive leadership team.
“This community has provided me with immense support,” Jennifer exclaims. “It’s a non-judgment zone where I find empathy and understanding. Sharing my dad’s story has allowed others – our clients, vendors, and colleagues – to open up about their own journeys with dementia. It’s shocking how many people are affected by Alzheimer’s. Talking about our experiences has been cathartic in many ways because you can often feel like you’re on an island alone.”
Jennifer and her mom take each day as it comes. “We strive to give him normalcy and purpose and meet him where he’s at each day,” she says. Bob is now in the middle stages of Alzheimer’s, often non-verbal and sometimes not recognizing his daughters or remembering his beloved Yankees.
“It’s devastating to see him lose core memories and important relationships,” Jennifer says. “You hear that people may forget your name, but they’ll never forget how you make them feel. He hasn’t said my name in over a year, but he always hugs and kisses my forehead. I had him write ‘I love you’ on a piece of paper. I hold this precious paper close, especially on uncertain days.”
This is Team Coldwell Banker Advantage’s second year participating in Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Winston-Salem. Although, Jennifer started the team in honor of her dad, she changed the name to reflect their firm’s collective experience with this disease. Their fundraising strategy focuses on education, spreading awareness of Alzheimer’s and how funds from events like the Walk support local programs, support groups, resources, and critical research. Through emails and personal conversations, the team successfully exceeded their $2,500 fundraising goal.
This event and the community of people she’s found, has enabled Jennifer and her family to feel empowered as caregivers and empowered to be part of the fight against Alzheimer’s.
LIKE JENNIFER, WE ALL HAVE A REASON TO FIGHT FOR A WORLD WITHOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. Join your local Walk to End Alzheimer’s today as an individual, team, or sponsor.
The Alzheimer’s Association hosts 17 walks across North Carolina. The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association® mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.
| Alamance County | 9/28/2024 |
| Asheville | TBD |
| Charlotte | 10/19/2024 |
| Fayetteville | 10/26/2024 |
| Gaston/Cleveland/Lincoln | 10/5/2024 |
| Guilford County | 10/5/2024 |
| Henderson County | 9/21/2024 |
| Iredell Co. & Lake Norman | 9/21/2024 |
| Jacksonville | 9/28/2024 |
| Moore County | 9/14/2024 |
| Mount Airy | 9/14/2024 |
| New Bern | 10/19/2024 |
| Rowan-Cabarrus | 9/21/2024 |
| Unifour | 10/26/2024 |
| Triangle (Raleigh-Durham) | 10/5/2024 |
| Wilmington | 11/2/2024 |
| Winston-Salem | 11/2/2024 |
Alzheimer's Association North Carolina Blog 