Edgemere retirement community in Dallas hosted a wedding for the son of a memory support resident who could not attend the official ceremony earlier this year due to his advanced dementia. John Wilson, 75, was not able to join his wife, Betty, and two other sons for son Brad’s wedding to Channing Farris in Fredericksburg outside of San Antonio in May, so The Plaza Health Services at Edgemere hosted a second ceremony to recreate the event.
“My dad often expressed how much he wanted for me to feel the joy of getting married,” said Brad, 45, a vice president of sales for Avnet in San Antonio. “He’s battled dementia for the last decade, which has left him nonverbal and unable to travel for the last couple of years, though for us it’s obvious he’s still there as a person. We wanted to have a wedding ceremony at Edgemere to allow him to enjoy the experience in whatever way it manifests within him. His home at Edgemere was the perfect familiar setting to serve as a backdrop. Channing was radiant in her dress, and the ceremony was conducted by my long-time pastor and friend Neal Jeffrey of Prestonwood.”
John Wilson donned a suit and his signature red tie for the Saturday afternoon event, which took place in the Edgemere courtyard under clear skies. A reception for the Wilson family and wedding party, as well as staff and fellow residents of The Plaza Health Services at Edgemere, where John lives, followed with cake and dancing, including the newlyweds’ first dance to Ray LaMontagne’s “Hold You in My Arms”.
Edgemere embraces the opportunity to help residents like John Wilson remain active and engaged through the familiarity of tradition and supportive relationships. For memory support residents in the close-knit community, this can include family, friends, fellow members of the community and staff.
“We were so happy to be part of this opportunity to bring a family together for such an important life event as a son’s marriage,” said John Falldine, managing director of Edgemere. “Inviting that into our community is key to providing the Edgemere experience.”