Linda Bolen wears many hats; caregiver, friend, mother, sister, published author and participant in four Facebook debate clubs! For someone who considers herself semi-retired, she’s a very busy woman.
Linda started working as a professional caregiver about eight years ago when she took a job with At Home Care. Shortly thereafter the business was bought by Family Home Care, which just recently became part of the Family Resource Home Care family. While she had some experience as a family caregiver helping friends and then her own mother who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, professionally Linda was busy building her resume in the business world. Over the years she has worked in property management, hotel security, and as a corporate event planner.
I enjoyed traveling, working at resorts and planning parties,” said Linda. “But as I got older and decided to cut back, I realized that I wanted to do something that was actually needed by others. When my mother was in the final stages of Alzheimer’s, she received 1-on-1 care from hospice workers. I was so impressed with the impact they had on my mother and our family that I decided to try it myself. I appreciated that my mother was able to live at home while receiving care and could see myself doing this type of work, especially being there for others at the end of life.”
Today Linda works 15–20 hours a week as a caregiver. Until recently she worked three days a week caring for her client Maddy who has Alzheimer’s. Maddy’s husband recently passed away and Linda is not certain what that means for the future. “I worked for Maddy and Bill for over five years,” says Linda, “but now that Bill is gone, I think her children may move her into an assisted living memory unit. When I first met Maddy she weighed only 80 pounds and was so fragile. During that first year, there were many times that I thought we would lose her. But I changed her diet and encouraged her to take her vitamins. She gained weight and the exercises we did helped her get stronger. I remember at least four times that Bill said to me, ‘I don’t know if we would have lasted this long without you. But even if we died today, that would be alright. We have had a very full life.’”
About Linda, Boise Regional Manager, Sara Low says “Linda is amazing, she just radiates compassion. She has a way about her that as soon as you start speaking to her you feel calm and reassured. She has a smile that lights up the room and makes clients feel like they are the most important person on the planet.”
Linda hopes to continue caring for Maddy but regardless, plans to remain semi-retired and working part-time at Family Resource. When she is not caregiving, Linda stays active through participating in four Facebook debate clubs, and in 2017 published her first book, an “inspirational thriller” titled Off the Grid and into the Light, written under the pen name Lidia West.
The Family Resource executive and leadership team and Boise staff offer congratulations to Linda Bolen, the January 2019 Platinum Caregiver of the month! Thank you for your commitment and your service. We are proud to have you in the Family Resource family!
