Grieving Twice: Sally Zibrowski on Alzheimer’s, Caregiving From a Distance, and Showing Up for Her Family

When Sally Zibrowski’s dad, Andy, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and primary progressive aphasia in 2021 at age 71, her family began to quietly reorient around a new and uncertain reality. Over time, earlier signs - subtle behavioral changes, growing confusion, and moments of paranoia - began to make sense in a way that was both clarifying and heartbreaking.

In this episode of The Bridges Between Us, Sally shares what it has meant to support her family through Alzheimer’s - not as the primary caregiver, but as someone caring for the caregiver. Her mother carried the day-to-day responsibilities at home, while Sally worked to support both of them from a distance.

She reflects on starting her dad’s CaringBridge page to ease the emotional load on her mother, and how that simple decision became a critical source of connection for their wider community. Instead of managing constant texts and check-ins, CaringBridge became a shared place for updates, memories, and support.

Sally also speaks openly about taking FMLA leave to be present for her family, and what she learned about caregiving, exhaustion, and the ways support often arrives quietly - but meaningfully - when it is most needed.

Her father, David Anderson, a beloved Minnesota science teacher, baseball coach, and longtime basketball official, passed away in May 2025. His CaringBridge page remains a record of his story and the community that surrounded him throughout his illness.

This episode is for anyone navigating Alzheimer’s or dementia in their family, anyone supporting a caregiver, or anyone trying to understand how to show up when life changes slowly and unexpectedly.

Topics covered:

• Early Alzheimer’s and dementia symptoms families often miss
• Supporting a caregiver from a distance
• Starting and managing a CaringBridge page
• FMLA leave and family caregiving decisions
• Anticipatory grief and emotional complexity in dementia care
• What meaningful support looks like for caregivers
• The lasting role of community in long health journeys

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