The Lewy Body Dementia Association announced that this month is the first official October Lewy Body Dementia Awareness Month, “A Month To Remember.”

LBDA has invited volunteers to join the awareness movement by “Standing Strong with LBDA” to build awareness for Lewy Body Dementia in their communities all month long. The LBD Awareness Movement is a national, grass roots effort to increase LBD awareness among the general public and medical profession.

Participants in the movement can get involved with LBDA in several ways to make Lewy Body Dementia a household word, from distributing materials in their community and to local physicians’ offices, to organizing outreach or community fundraising events.

LBD affects an estimated 1.3 million individuals and their families in the United States. It is currently widely underdiagnosed because LBD symptoms can closely resemble other more commonly known diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Many doctors and medical professionals still are not familiar with LBD. Early diagnosis allows for important early treatment that may extend quality of life.

“Given the growing population of older Americans, at some point in your life LBD will likely affect someone you know,” said Angela Herron, President of LBDA’s Board of Directors. “The general public, and far too many primary care doctors and nurses, have never heard of LBD. In addition to trying to manage a very difficult disease, LBD families find themselves in the unanticipated role of educator and advocate.”

Here are a few events that are available to residents in or around Kosciusko County:

• Oct. 15, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.— Intro to LBDA Volunteering (Virtual Class)
• Oct. 16, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. — More Than Senior Moments: Understanding a Common Cause of Changes in Thinking and Behavior (Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor, Mich.)
• Oct. 17,2 p.m. to 3 p.m.—LBDA and SNM Webinar: Molecular Imaging of Lewy body dementia (Online)

Visit LBDA’s online calendar for all of the events for October Awareness Month.
LBDA is also encouraging participants throughout the country to engage with each other locally by joining a “Hub of Hope” in their community.

LBDA “Hubs of Hope” provide opportunities to connect LBD families and friends in local areas to build a network of resources for caregivers and people with LBD, as well as engage them in social and educational programs about LBD.

To join LBDA’s awareness movement, “A Month To Remember,” and for more information please visit http://www.lbda.org/go/awareness.