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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffPeople with Lewy body dementia often experience a mixture of emotions — confusion, frustration, anger, fear, uncertainty, grief and depression.
You can help a person cope with the disease by listening, reassuring the person that he or she still can enjoy life, providing unconditional love and doing your best to help the person retain dignity and self-respect.
Caregivers must watch closely to make sure the person with Lewy body dementia doesn't fall or lose consciousness or react badly to medications, and they must reassure that person during times of delusions or hallucinations.
Looking after yourself
The physical and emotional demands of caregiving can be exhausting. Feelings of anger and guilt, frustration and discouragement, worry and grief, and social isolation are common. If you're a caregiver for someone with this disease, you can help yourself and help prevent caregiver burnout by doing the following:
- Ask friends or other family members for help when you need it.
- Take care of your health.
- Learn as much about the disease as you can. Ask questions of doctors, social workers and others involved in the care of your loved one.
- Join a support group.
Many people with Lewy body dementia and their families can benefit from counseling or local support groups. Contact your local agencies on health or aging to get connected with support groups, doctors, resources and referrals, home care agencies, supervised living facilities, a telephone help line and educational seminars.
- NINDS Dementia with Lewy bodies information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dementiawithlewybodies/dementiawithlewybodies.htm. Accessed July 6, 2010.
- Hake AM, et al. Clinical features and diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 6, 2010.
- Hake AM, et al. Epidemiology, pathology and pathogenesis of dementia with Lewy bodies. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 6, 2010.
- What is LBD? Lewy Body Dementia Association. http://www.lbda.org. Accessed July 6, 2010.
- Hake AM, et al. Prognosis and treatment of dementia with Lewy bodies. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed July 6, 2010.
- Dementia: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dementias/detail_dementia.htm?css=print. Accessed July 6, 2010.
- Caring for Alzheimer's. Alzheimer's Association. http://www.alz.org/living_with_alzheimers_caring_for_alzheimers.asp. Accessed July 6, 2010.
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