Within days, he was covered in an excruciatingly painful rash that left him unable to eat and barely able to speak.
Nine agonising months later, he was dead, his body ravaged by a shingles virus that could have been prevented by a simple vaccination.
Mr Bakewell had been a vibrant member of the Phillip Island community in Victoria where he lived independently, got about with the aid of a walking stick and was "gregarious and funny and outgoing and energetic", says his daughter, Libby Bakewell.
But after a weekend of sleeping a lot and mild temperatures, Ms Bakewell took her father to visit the GP, who could see a rash developing that looked like shingles.
Shingles is the disease caused when the chickenpox virus reactivates. It can cause severe pain that can last for months.
Within 48 hours Mr Bakewell had developed a "horrendous" rash covering his scalp, his neck, half his back, his chest and inside his ear, says his daughter.
"It was awful and the pain was excruciating - it just got worse and worse," she tells AAP.
"He could barely speak and he wasn't eating.
"The doctors medicated him to hell with every pain medication you can think of and he was just miserable."
Ms Bakewell quickly realised he needed full-time care and put her father into respite care for the first eight weeks and then, when he wasn't improving, into a full-time aged care facility.
"It was so against what his wishes were, because he was so active," she said.
"To find himself in an aged care facility being looked after was pretty traumatic for him - he just went downhill."
Mr Bakewell became immobile. He went from using a walking stick to a walker to a wheelchair and then to a princess chair. Staff had to winch him into the chair in the morning and then winch him back into bed at night.
"He had horrendous wounds ... and the pain level was equivalent to a third degree burn," Ms Bakewell said.
"To see my dad in so much pain was traumatic for me.
"I don't want to see anybody going through this when it's preventable."
A Painaustralia report, It's Not Just a Rash, documents the alarming toll shingles takes on individuals and their families, based on insights from more than 100 Australians affected by the virus.
It found 92 per cent experienced nerve pain, with half reporting that lasted more than 12 months. Many were unable to work, perform daily activities or look after themselves.
This Shingles Awareness Week, eligible Australians are being encouraged to talk to their GP about a free two-dose vaccination that can prevent them contracting the virus.
Australians over 65, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over 50 and vulnerable people under 18 are eligible for the free vaccination.
Painaustralia CEO Monika Boogs said the organisation's report highlighted the need for better vaccine access.
"As shingles commonly affects people aged 50 and older, a significant gap remains for those aged 50 to 65, who face limited access due to the high cost of the vaccine," she said.
Ms Boogs also stressed the economic impact of shingles on working Australians, with more than half of the reports respondents saying their ability to work was affected, leading to loss of income and financial strain.
"Expanding vaccine access will not only prevent individual suffering but also reduce the economic burden of this preventable disease," she said.
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