The Lewy Body Society highlight ongoing challenges with diagnosis
The Lewy Body Society has used World Alzheimer’s Month to highlight ongoing challenges around diagnosis for people with Lewy body dementia symptoms.
The Lewy Body Society say that in England up to 110,000 people are estimated to have Lewy Body dementia yet only 15,000 are recorded with a diagnosis.
Jacqui Cannon, Chief Executive of The Lewy Body Society, says:
“When people hear the word dementia, most think only of Alzheimer’s. But Lewy body dementia is widespread, devastating, and still too often missed. Families are left in limbo, struggling without answers. We want everyone to understand that it’s never too early to diagnose, and never too late to diagnose.”
Highlighting potential symptoms, The Lewy Body Society say:
“Lewy body dementia has a distinctive set of symptoms, which can make it particularly hard to diagnose. Alongside problems with memory and thinking, people often experience fluctuating levels of alertness, vivid visual hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and movement problems similar to Parkinson’s disease. These overlapping symptoms mean the condition is frequently mistaken for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, delaying the right support.”
Find out more from The Lewy Body Society, including reading about personal diagnosis stories from Alistair, Paul, Rob and Kerry, here: https://www.lewybody.org/lewy-body-families-urge-faster-more-accurate-dementia-diagnoses/