Throughout the United States there are approximately 1.3 million people living with a degenerative condition known as Lewy Body Dementia or dementia with Lewy Bodies. This number may actually be far lower than the true instance of the disease as it is frequently misdiagnosed. As a family caregiver it is important for you to understand this type of dementia so that you can recognize the differences between it and other conditions, and be prepared for giving your parent the level of care that they deserve as they progress through it.
Lewy Body Dementia is characterized by the presence of protein deposits referred to as Lewy bodies throughout the brain. Made up of a protein known as alpha-synuclein, these Lewy bodies develop within the nerve cells of the brain, particularly in those regions that influence motor control, thinking, and memory. Second only to Alzheimer’s disease in terms of frequency of diagnosis, Lewy Body Dementia is progressive, which means that the person living with this condition will experience more and worsened symptoms over the course of the years that they are living with it. This type of dementia features a decline in cognitive functioning and abilities, such as changes in their attention span, alertness, and experiencing of visual hallucinations.
One issue that is unique for LBD is its close relation to Parkinson’s disease. The term is actually used to cover both dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s disease dementia. This is because both of these conditions feature the same biological changes within the brain, though they appear as a different set of symptoms. It can take a year or more for doctors to be able to properly diagnose LBD, making it essential that you get them the medical attention that they need as soon as possible after you begin to notice symptoms. This can help your parent get the correct diagnosis so that they can get on the course of treatment and management that is right for them.
If your senior loved one has recently been diagnosed with dementia or their challenges and limitations have become too much for you to handle effectively and efficiently, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting elder care for them. An elderly home care services provider can be with your aging parent on a schedule that is right not just for their needs, but also for you as their family caregiver. This means that you can give them the amount of care that you are able to and that you feel comfortable providing, while also knowing that they will receive the highly personalized services that they need to remain safe, healthy, comfortable, and happy while managing their individual needs in the way that is right for them. A care provider can also help your parent to maintain as much independence and activity as possible as they age in place, enabling them to enjoy a life that is as engaged and fulfilling as they can throughout the progression of their condition.
For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable elder care in Pacific Beach, CA, and the surrounding communities.
Sources:
https://www.lbda.org/content/incidence-lewy-body-dementias-general-population
http://www.alz.org/dementia/dementia-with-lewy-bodies-symptoms.asp
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lewy-body-dementia/home/ovc-20200344
https://www.lbda.org/content/10-things-you-should-know-about-lbd
https://www.lbda.org/category/3437/what-is-lbd.htm
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