Nurse at Tega Cay assisted living facility using her crown to raise awareness

For as long as Janine Bents can remember, seniors have always had a big piece of her heart.

From the time she was a toddler, the reigning Ms. South Carolina Strawberry Festival would tag along with her father at his work at a long-term care facility. Growing up, Bents knew she wanted to become a nurse and work with the senior population – and that’s just what she did.

As the Resident Care Coordinator at Wellmore of Tega Cay, an assisted living facility, Bents was already active in Alzheimer’s awareness events when she heard about the town of Fort Mill’s Strawberry Festival Pageant and its “Cause Before Crown” emphasis. Bents said she recognized the potential that a title in front of her name could bring to the cause.

Bent’s participation in the pageant also opened the door for her to work at Wellmore.

In preparation for the pageant, Bents called local businesses to drum up support for sponsorships. When she called Wellmore, the manager was so impressed with her that he asked her to come in for an interview the next day. The rest is history.

“Wellmore is just very supportive,” Bents said. “Whatever we want to do (to support seniors) they’re behind us one hundred percent.”

‘They are my family’

Every 66 seconds, someone in the U.S. develops Alzheimer’s and one in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Although Bents does not have a family member who has Alzheimer’s, she said she has plenty of extended “family” battling the disease.

“I feel like I have 30 grandmas and grandpas that have Alzheimer’s,” Bents said. “They are my family.”

For the past two years, Bents has helped organize an art auction at Wellmore. The residents look forward to the auction and delight in bidding against each other.

“They get really excited,” she said.

Fort Mill’s reigning Strawberry Queens Miss Daisy Burroughs and Teen Alissa Ilacqua were also in attendance for the auction. The auctions have raised $2,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association over the last two years.

Bents and some of her colleagues also participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s event recently in Rock Hill, organized by the Alzheimer’s Association.

‘You have to choose this’

Jennifer Reid, Lifestyle Advisor at Wellmore, said working with the aging population is a calling.

“(Janine) works very closely, one-on-one with the residents, on their day-to-day needs,” Reid said.

Sometimes that calling can be difficult.

“There are a lot of tears sometimes when people are dealing with the disease,” Reid said. “You have to choose this.”

If a resident “needs a shoulder to cry on, that’s what we do here,” Reid said.

Bents is in close contact with the residents’ families as well, Reid said.

“Janine is an extension of the family,” she said.

As far as Wellmore’s residents are concerned – Bents is a full-blown home-grown celebrity.

They get a kick out of it every time she makes the newspaper and delight in passing around the articles.

“They fight over them,” Bents laughed.

Title is a platform

Bents will wear the crown for a short time, but her fight for awareness and a cure for Alzheimer’s – the sixth leading cause of death in America – will remain.

“Alzheimer’s is going to affect all of us, whether directly or indirectly,” Bent said.

“It takes a toll on everyone. It’s a sad process to watch, so that’s why we need to keep pushing for a cure.”

Bents said she is thankful for the opportunities that being a Strawberry Pageant title holder has given her to spread the Alzheimer’s message.

“I knew (the crown) would give me an opportunity to bring awareness to a cause that is close to my heart,” Bents said.

“The cause is what’s important. The crown just opens the door.”

This story was originally published October 5, 2017 at 2:08 PM with the headline "Nurse at Tega Cay assisted living facility using her crown to raise awareness."