7 Stages of Lewy Body Dementia: Symptoms & Care Strategies
Most of us are aware of Dementia, the disease that distorts the brain’s neurons affecting one’s abilities to remember, speak and think. Yet many are surprised to learn that dementia has over 200 variants. A common strain is called Lewy Body Dementia (LBD).
There are 7 stages of Lewy body dementia, and the symptoms it presents can be quite different to other common dementia variants. Due to this, it’s important to learn the main symptoms of each stage to best care for someone with the disease.
The road through dementia is a difficult one for the person diagnosed and for their loved ones. However, there are treatments and strategies to help relieve symptoms, making the journey easier and more comfortable.
This article explains each stage of the Lewy body dementia symptoms, along with tips to help you engage with your loved one and make sure they’re as comfortable as possible.
What is Lewy Body Dementia?
Lewy body dementia (LBD) happens when the brain forms clusters of a protein called Lewy Body. These clusters develop in the areas of the brain responsible for movement, visual perception, attention and sleep regulation.
Common Lewy body dementia symptoms are hallucinations, disturbed sleep, quick changes to alertness, balance issues and hand tremors as the person is at rest.
These symptoms are different to say Alzheimer’s (another common dementia type) where the areas heavily impacted are speech, difficulty recognising people and completing daily tasks.
LBD’s symptoms mean the person risks injuries from falling, choking on food and drink due to swallowing difficulty and distressful hallucinations.
Lewy body dementia treatments and medications help control symptoms that improve someone’s quality of life.
There is no cure for LBD, but medications do help control these symptoms to improve quality of life.
Someone with LBD can leave a physical and emotional imprint on the family and caregivers too. A well-rounded care plan is one that’s designed primarily for the comfort and wellbeing of the person with LBD, but also their caregivers, family and friends too.
7 Stages of Lewy Body Dementia
The 7 stages of Lewy body dementia were created to help professionals diagnose the disease against other brain diseases with similar symptoms, and to educate those diagnosed and their families on what to expect from LBD.
Here we'll step through the symptoms of each stage, then discuss care strategies to best manage symptoms to improve their comfort and quality of life.
Stage 1 – No Impairment
Symptoms are not noticeable during this stage. Not internally by the person with LBD nor externally by their family and friends.
Mild episodes of forgetfulness are commonly put down to natural ageing, making disease identification difficult.
The body may begin to show signs of motor function issues. For example slight tremors (often in the hands when at rest) or through balance issues (often when walking or standing).
Stage 2 – Very Mild Cognitive Decline
Mild memory lapses start to show here, yet still often attributed to general ageing, as they are not noticed by family and friends.
Mild hallucinations can start to disturb the individual in stage two.
Stage 3 - Mild Cognitive Decline
Externally recognisable symptoms of memory loss are now present as well as mild concentration problems.
The person will begin to struggle with their motor functioning. This is found in tremors and balance issues that have become more common and obvious.
A LBD diagnosis is often made during this stage.
Stage 4 – Moderate Cognitive Decline
Motor function challenges are now strong enough that they impact the person’s daily life and activities.
Hallucinations are more frequent and more distressing for the individual.
Forgetfulness is now much stronger and disrupts the individual’s daily life.
The disease-driven muscular impacts can result in swallowing difficulties. This can affect the person’s ability to eat and drink.
Supervision is now needed to ensure the person’s safety.
Stage 5 - Moderately Severe Cognitive Decline
Severe cognitive changes with memory loss and overall confusion, now impeded their daily life.
Constant care is needed for those who live alone, ideally this is by care professionals with LBD knowledge.
The individual is at a greater risk of infections and troublesome high fevers.
Behaviours like wandering off and getting lost are a risk to their safety.
Stage 6 - Severe Cognitive Decline
By now the person’s personality and demeanor is barely recognisable. They’ve lost their ability to speak and can recall memories from early life only.
Incontinence of both the bladder and bowel are likely, needing full time attendance.
Sleep disturbances; falling asleep, staying asleep, being woken by hallucinations and dreams are a daily challenge for the individual.
Stage 7 - Very Severe Cognitive Decline
Severe motor impairment means that unfortunately, personal interaction is not possible in this last stage.
The body’s nervous system can no longer correctly regulate, leaving the person with no control of themselves.
Full care is needed as both physical and mental function has disintegrated.
Lewy Body Dementia; How to Care for Your Loved Ones
Caregivers are crucial to the support and comfort for someone moving through LBD.
We’ve created the following stage by stage care tips for carers and family to improve their loved one’s well being. Each with symptom driven tips as well as overall advice on how to best communicate during all stages of LBD.
Care Strategies Through Stages 1 - 3
In the early stages, cognitive health and support to their independence is valuable. Centre around what they still can do, and avoid what they struggle with.
Engage the body’s senses to keep cognition active. For example, you can rekindle great memories through old photos or their favourite music. To pat a beloved pet, or take garden walks will rouse pleasant sensory connections.
Care Strategies Through Stages 4 - 6
Safely completing daily tasks alone are now an issue.
A Lewy body dementia symptom is oscillating energy levels and concentration. In general, their energy will be higher and more stable in the morning, then drop away by the afternoon. Utilise these hours to encourage small acts like to brush their own hair. Give gentle support with the task if they’re struggling.
Care Strategies During Stage 7
In Lewy body dementia’s final days end of life care is introduced, with the aim to ease symptoms and improve wellbeing. As care professionals manage symptoms and physical comfort, the emotional and spiritual support through the presence of loved ones is encouraged.
The personal connection in actions like holding their hand and speaking softly to them, can help comfort and relax your loved one as they move through this final stage.
To Wrap Up…
The 7 stages of Lewy body dementia will present challenging moments. When the disease’s stages are understood and prepared for, the person’s distressing symptoms will be minimised, and their comfort and quality of life will increase.
To know when professional support is needed is what we do best at BelleVie. We can design a care package to best suit your family’s needs. Whether it’s daily visits for now, or a comprehensive care package for late-stage LBD. Our Wellbeing Support Workers are trained to manage the most difficult symptoms with care and compassion.
