In-Home Lewy Body Dementia Care, Caregiver Services, Lewy Body Dementia In-Home Home Care
Lewy Body Dementia diminishes the quality of life of the person diagnosed with the disease. Those who have this form of dementia gradually lose their ability to manage normal, everyday tasks. But, with the aid of in-home caregivers providing Lewy Body Dementia Care, people with Lewy Body Dementia can avoid moving to an assisted living facility or a nursing home.
At FCP Live-In, our dedicated caregivers help people live securely, and with a sense of dignity, in the comfort of their own home. We offer affordable, personalized services that include:
Personal Care Services
- Assistance with grooming, bathing, dressing, feeding
- Assistance with incontinence care, toileting, including safe nighttime trips to the bathroom
- Assistance with walking, transferring (from bed to wheelchair)
- Medication reminders
Light Housekeeping Services
- Preparing meals
- Grocery shopping
- Provide transportation, run errands
- Light dusting, vacuuming, sweeping
- Make and change beds
- Laundry
Companion Services
- Accompany client to doctor appointments
- Accompany clients to recreational and social activities
- Engage with client in purposeful conversation
- Encourage exercise as directed by the health care provider
To learn more about how our Lewy Body Dementia Care services can help you or your loved one, call FCP Live-In today at 1 (866) 559-9492.
Types of Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy body dementia (LBD) is the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. The progressive disease occurs when an unusual amount of protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, accumulate in the parts of the brain that control movement, thought and memory.
These protein deposits were named for Friederich H. Lewy, the German neurologist who discovered the deposits while researching Parkinson’s disease in the early 1900s.
There are two types of Lewy Body Dementia:
- Dementia with Lewy bodies
- Parkinson’s disease dementia.
Both are progressive diseases that affect the brain and have similar symptoms.
A person with dementia with Lewy bodies first experiences some decline in their thinking ability and later has problems with memory and body movement. The person may also have problems sleeping and may have hallucinations and see people or objects that are not there.
A person with Parkinson’s disease dementia first has trouble with body movements. But before dementia occurs, the individual will experience Parkinson’s disease symptoms such as:
- Stiff muscles
- Tremors
- Difficulty walking
- Difficulty speaking
Both types of Lewy body dementia will eventually rob older adults of the ability to function independently in their homes. However, our FCP Live-In caregivers help older adults in all stages of Lewy Body Dementia to stay in familiar surroundings. By preparing meals, doing light housekeeping, providing transportation and other important services, our caregivers can help to ensure the safety and well-being of our clients.
Link: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-lewy-body-dementia-types
Struggling with Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy Body Dementia symptoms may not be noticeable at first but will become more prominent over time. For instance, a person in the early stages of Lewy Body Dementia may have a clear memory one day, but the next day become confused and forgetful.
As the disease progresses, however, a person can experience problems such as:
- Loss of balance
- Loss of problem-solving abilities
- Falling frequently
- Staring into space for minutes at a time
- Poor concentration
- Exercising poor judgment
- Having difficulty speaking clearly
- Having trouble walking, moving arms)
- Difficulties sleeping
Lewy Body Dementia can also cause personality changes. For example, people who were once organized may become disorganized and irresponsible.
As the disease progresses, Lewy Body Dementia will make it difficult for people to function normally in their home.
Limited Research on Lewy Body Dementia
According to the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center, research on Lewy Body Dementia has trailed for decades behind studies on Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s—the most common type of dementia. One reason, the center says, is due to Lewy Body Dementia once being considered a rare disease.
The Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center estimates that in the United States, 1.4 million people over 50 years old have Lewy Body Dementia. The organization, however, believes this number is understated since many of the symptoms associated with the disease take years to develop.
As the disease progresses, frustration among people with Lewy Body Dementia grows because they can no longer walk without a cane or someone helping them or carry out daily tasks like paying bills, shopping or cleaning the house.
Link: https://lewybodyresourcecenter.org/what-is-lbd/
Link: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers
Key differences between Alzheimer’s and Lewy body dementia
- Memory loss tends to be a more prominent symptom in early Alzheimer’s than in early Lewy body dementia, although advanced Lewy body dementia may cause memory problems in addition to its more typical effects on judgment, planning and visual perception.
- Movement symptoms are more likely to be an important cause of disability early in Lewy body dementia than in Alzheimer’s, although Alzheimer’s can cause problems with walking, balance and getting around as it progresses to moderate and severe stages.
- Hallucinations, delusions and misidentification of familiar people are significantly more frequent in early-stage Lewy body dementia than in Alzheimer’s.
- REM sleep disorder is more common in early Lewy body dementia than in Alzheimer’s.
- Disruption of the autonomic nervous system, causing a blood pressure drop on standing, dizziness, falls and urinary incontinence, is much more common in early Lewy body dementia than in Alzheimer’s.
Link: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/lewy-body-dementia
In-Home Care an Option for People with Lewy Body Dementia
Lewy Body Dementia symptoms progress more quickly in some people while the symptoms develop gradually in others. The rapid or slow progression of the disease depends on a person’s age, health and severity of the symptoms, the National Institute of Aging reports. From the time a person is diagnosed to the time a person dies, Lewy Body Dementia can last from five to eight years.
Seeing your once vibrant loved one go through the different stages of Lewy Body Dementia can be heartbreaking. And, you may consider placing your loved one in an assisted living facility or nursing home with a memory care section. However, the move could be devastating and bring further disruption into their lives.
With assistance from FCP Live-In direct care staff, your loved one can stay at home. Our caregivers are trained to help people in different stages of Lewy Body Dementia, and they know what type of care and type of services are needed as the disease progresses.
Link: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-lewy-body-dementia#types
About FCP Live-In and Our Lewy Body Dementia Care Services
We have provided the ultimate solution for assisted Lewy Body Dementia Care services since 1997. Our live-in Lewy Body Dementia Care services agency is committed to providing a unique and customized In-Home Lewy Body Dementia Care services approach to senior care with the goal of a lifestyle that provides enjoyment for the one in care, and families with peace of mind.
FCP Live-In is a Live-In Home Care company with over two decades of experience specializing in elderly care needs within the home. Our live-in caregiver staff provides an insurance policy of safe and supportive care, along with a 24/7 professional support system that is there for the client and the live-in caregiver at all times.
For more information about our Lewy Body Dementia Care services, contact FCP Live-In today at 1 (866) 559-9492 or please fill out the form below.
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