Linda Strobl - Delta Honouree

2024 IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer's

Cross-province moves, successful careers, two children and three grandchildren are only a hint at the life Linda and John created together. A retired critical care nurse, Linda describes how John quickly moved up the ladder at BC Hydro, jumping at the opportunity to travel around the province. Despite his success on the job, John’s career satisfaction couldn’t compare to the fulfillment that came with the family man’s post-retirement role of providing childcare for his youngest grandson.

Linda and John met at the age of 16 in Coombs, a small town mid-Vancouver Island. She laughs as she describes John driving his old tractor all the way to her family’s home, their time together limited by her father’s strict rules. Despite the rules, Linda’s family had fun. They were very involved in the local music scene, with Linda’s parents instrumental in starting the Coombs Bluegrass Festival. Music played a big part of their lives until her father’s death in 2008, which greatly affected Linda’s mother. Like Linda and John, her parents had been together their whole lives. “They were inseparable,” Linda says.

Linda’s mother was diagnosed with vascular dementia shortly after her father passed. Her ability to speak diminished as the disease progressed, but connecting over music remained a constant. Linda would sing to her mother – songs her parents loved – and she recognized them. Following her mother’s death, Linda felt lost.

“I was devastated. Everybody said that being a nurse should help you cope.”

But it didn’t. Even with decades of experience providing care, Linda knew she needed additional support and reached out to the Alzheimer Society of B.C. She joined a caregiver support group and was relieved to find a safe space to share her feelings without judgment.

This was not Linda’s last experience seeking caregiver support. In 2016, John began to show signs of dementia. It was shocking to her when John suddenly found himself lost on roads he drove often. Following his diagnosis of Lewy body dementia, Linda once again turned to the Alzheimer Society of B.C. for support and connected to nearby programs and services.

“I couldn't have survived without the Society,” Linda says. “You feel free to share stuff that you would never tell anyone. We're allowed to say what we feel without guilt. Because guilt and secrecy – they don’t help anyone.”

Recently, Linda shared a frightening experience in which John disappeared from their home. He was quickly found on the roof of their house, an impressive feat for a 74-year-old with a walker, but terrifying for Linda. John was helped down safely, but for Linda, the incident underscored the benefit of consistency and routine for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Regular, recurring activities like Minds in Motion®, a social and fitness program for people living with dementia and their care partners, allows John to participate in fun workouts and brain games in a safe and familiar setting. It is also another way for Linda to connect with fellow caregivers and create community.

“It's a social activity as much as it's for your brain and body,” Linda says. “And a great place to make friends, especially when those people are going through similar things.”