{"id":167350,"date":"2026-02-16T23:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/167350\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T23:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:56:09","slug":"everlasting-love-fort-worth-couples-with-dementia-renew-vows-during-valentines-day-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/167350\/","title":{"rendered":"Everlasting love: Fort Worth couples with dementia renew vows during Valentine\u2019s Day event"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Ismael M. Belkoura, Fort Worth Report
February 16, 2026<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, I choose you again. I promise to love you with patience and grace, to care for you with tenderness, and to walk beside you wherever this journey leads.\u201d<\/p>\n

The night before Valentine\u2019s Day, those words echoed off the walls of the James L. West Center for Dementia Care Senior Day Program<\/a> center. Fifteen couples repeated that promise as a renewal of their marriage vows and as a testament to the love they have for their lifelong partner.<\/p>\n

\nhttps:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DUwAilZkQ0m\/\n<\/p>\n

This was the first year the center hosted the vow renewal ceremony. Heather Macchietto, director of the Senior Day Program, said they created the event to honor the love the couples have for each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven if memories disappear, the love doesn\u2019t go away,\u201d Macchietto said.<\/p>\n

She emphasized the importance of validating how love shifts when one member of a couple has dementia. Caregiving is a form of love, Macchietto said.<\/p>\n

Lakeisha Siren, life enrichment coordinator of the program, created and coordinated the event. She said the value of the vow renewal is in the moments of clarity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe spouses that don\u2019t have the disease, they\u2019re going to cherish that moment, because they\u2019re going to see that same look that he or she gave them when they first got married,\u201d Siren said.<\/p>\n

After the vow renewal, couples ate dinner with family members, danced together and participated in photo shoots.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause of the situation, it means a lot to me,\u201d Eva Cox said, in reference to the opportunity to renew her vows with her husband, Robert Cox. \u201cThey\u2019ve gone to a lot of trouble, and it\u2019s worth it. We really really enjoy coming here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"(MariaRobert Cox and Eva Cox hold hands for an affirmation of love and renewal of vows during an event hosted by the James L. West Senior Day Program on Feb. 13, 2026. This is a center for dementia care where spouses can take their partners to spend the day. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

Paula Brussow participated in the event alongside her husband, Jerry, who has dementia. She held the original bouquet from their wedding 48 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just think it\u2019s neat to renew our vows and remember how much we love each other,\u201d Brussow said.<\/p>\n

In a room full of couples, John and Angela Smith stood out. In a sea of mostly formal attire, their bright red shirts read, \u201cWe Still Do.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe said \u2018I do,\u2019 and we still say \u2018I do,\u2019\u201d said John Smith, a regular attendee of the day center.<\/p>\n

The couple, who have been together for 35 years, moved near the facility unintentionally. Now, John comes to the facility five days a week.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cHe tells me they make him feel needed, helpful and wanted,\u201d Angela Smith said. \u201cIt\u2019s the camaraderie.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"(MariaSande Lyon and Rich Lyon hold hands at a vow renewal event hosted by the James L. West Senior Day Program on Feb. 13, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

When an individual suffers from dementia, sometimes a residential facility is the best and only way forward, Macchietto said. However, some individuals choose to stay at home to be near loved ones and to continue to enjoy the comfort of a known environment.<\/p>\n

The day center provides a daily resource where those suffering from dementia can be with others on the same journey, Macchietto said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As well as creating a venue offering fun activities and programs, the day center gives people with dementia a safe space.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll too often, older adults are stigmatized,\u201d Macchietto said. \u201cPeople think, \u2018She\u2019s got dementia \u2014 she\u2019s senile.\u2019 We don\u2019t think that way. These are people who we love, who come to our program and just happen to need a little extra help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ismael M. Belkoura is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at ismael.belkoura@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org\/2026\/02\/16\/everlasting-love-fort-worth-couples-with-dementia-renew-vows-during-valentines-day-event\/”>article<\/a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/fortworthreport.org”>Fort Worth Report<\/a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License<\/a>.<img src=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/fortworthreport.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/cropped-favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;quality=80&amp;ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”><\/p>\n

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