Photo by Louis Reed on Unsplash

Lewy Body Dementia currently affects 1.4 million Americans. Its symptoms are similar to Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, which leads to frequent misdiagnosis, delaying treatment and jeopardizing the patient’s health. Support for Lewy Body Dementia research helps doctors, scientists, caregivers, and researchers better understand the disease, allowing those suffering with LBD to receive an early and correct diagnosis. Here’s how you can support Lewy Body Dementia research.

Sign up to Volunteer

Volunteers are essential in furthering Lewy Body Dementia research. Clinics, therapy centers, laboratories, and LBD non-profits utilize the help of volunteers. Regardless of your specific area of expertise, a variety of volunteer opportunities are available for those looking to get involved.

The Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center is the only organization in the country with a live helpline for caregivers who have questions about LBD. This helpline is volunteer-run and by utilizing the help of passionate, loving individuals who have experienced difficulty, we strengthen the Lewy Body Dementia support network and bring others into the fold.

Helping with a support group is another great way to volunteer your time. Support groups have a direct, positive impact on the LBD caregiver community but also generate personal conversation around the nuances of caring for an individual with Lewy Body Dementia. These communities indirectly support research because they facilitate the collection of information based on first hand experiences.

Monetary Donations

It’s no secret that medical research is extremely costly. While there is a variety of funding available, some grants and subsidies have restrictions or get funneled to the overarching diseases of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or general Dementia, instead of specific Lewy Body Dementia research.

Financial donations can also help fund outreach programs. Art classes, speech therapy, or dance lessons help improve the cognition and motor functions of those suffering from Lewy Body Dementia. Donations can help fund care centers and classrooms around the country.

Moreover, monetary gifts are a kind way to honor someone who has passed or who is currently suffering from Lewy Body Dementia. Memorial donations provide longer lasting benefits than flowers or gift baskets, and instead contribute to care, advancement, and education. For those grieving from the loss of a loved one to Lewy Body Dementia, a memorial donation can provide comfort in knowing their loved one is remembered.

Raise Community Awareness

Raising awareness within your local community for Lewy Body Dementia is important in furthering support and concern for the disease. The more awareness around the disease, the more accurate doctors can be when diagnosing patients with Lewy Body Dementia. If folks are unaware of symptoms, or even unaware of the disease’s existence, there may be a delay in getting their parent, friend, or loved one proper care.

Consider organizing a charity walk or hosting a booth at your local health fair to spread the word and raise money. Educate those around you on the early stages of Lewy Body Dementia, how to care for someone with LBD, or even highlight symptoms that people with LBD experience daily.

Raising awareness about LBD also provides an outlet for care partners of those living with Lewy Body Dementia. Caregivers need support, and by initiating conversations about Lewy Body Dementia, we connect families touched by the disease.

Donations to the Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center can help support all of the aspects mentioned, in addition to their support groups, helpline, comprehensive website, and personal attention.