By Nicole Lesson
Brook Batson and her family recently moved to Freeport, FL from Tennessee to help take care of her Father-in-law who has Alzheimer’s.
They moved in with her mother-in-law to assist her in taking care of her husband.
“He is mobile but gets very confused,” Batson said. “Thankfully, he does remember myself, my husband, Danny and my kids. Once we knew what was going on, we wanted to come before there was a crisis.”
Baton shares what she wants people to know about Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
“This is a disease, not just age appropriate behavior, yes some behaviors are age appropriate but if they can’t manage a majority of their daily activities on their own, it’s more than aging,” Baton said.
According to research from the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, more than 1,500 Walton County residents age 65 and up are living with the disease. Florida has the second highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s in the U.S, with more than 580,000 Floridians living with the disease supported by 870,000 unpaid caregivers.
For more than 17 years Brook worked in senior care, both assisted living and memory care. Her passion for helping families through their journey with dementia has now hit her own family. She offers this advice.
“Find a support group, go to the alz.org website, call an assisted living facility as some have memory care daycare, surround yourself with those who understand what you are going through,” she said. “Manage it as a family, as it takes a village.”
For many, caregiving can be overwhelming and individuals in the role often report experiencing higher rates of stress. According to the Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, 66% of Florida caregivers reported at least one chronic health condition, 29% reported having depression and 14% reported being in poor physical health.
Practicing self-care is vital to ensure both the caregiver and the person being cared for can have the best quality of life. Services like respite care, adult day care, and support groups can ease the challenges of caregiving. Many of these are available at low or no cost to Floridians through state and local programs. For more information, call the Alzheimer’s Association free, 24/7 Helpline at 800.272.3900.
Walk to End Alzheimer’s®, an event held across Florida to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s, has been a place of support for Batson. She is the new Community Engagement Chair for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Emerald Coast-Okaloosa County.
“At the Walk you will meet people, companies and vendors that understand exactly what you are dealing with,” she said. “You are going to walk away with information you didn’t have.”
Join others impacted by Alzheimer’s for the 2025 Walk to End Alzheimer’s Emerald Coast Okaloosa County on Saturday, November 1 at Northwest Florida State College in Niceville. Registration starts at 9 am with the ceremony at 10 am, followed by the Walk. Register your team today at Alz.org/EmeraldCoastOCWalk.
