What is a Lewy Body?

Odds are, you've heard the term before, Lewy Body Dementia, it's the 2nd most common dementia next to Alzheimer's.  But what exactly is a "Lewy Body?" and what causes it?

Various aggregations of Lewy Bodies in nerve cells under a microscope

A Lewy Body is a spherical deposit of protein that appears inside of nerve cells, displacing normal cell components, and disrupting the function of that cell.  Originally discovered in 1910, by Fritz Heinrich Lewy, a Lewy Body was discovered in the brain tissue of patients acting different than normal.  These protein deposits can cause Parkinson's Disease, Lewy Body Dementia, and Multiple System Atrophy.

A model of a Protein Chaperone in charge of folding proteins

These bodies of proteins form as a malfunction in a cell's aggresome functions.  Aggresome is what happens when a cell compiles misfolded protiens and and stores them in one location to be refolded by molecular chaperones.  Unfortunately when the cell degenerates too fast and aggresome can't keep up with the excess of folded proteins, the deposit grows and if it grows in the brain stem, a Lewy Body is formed.  If enough Lewy Bodies form, then the individual will develop a disease like LBD (lewy body dementia) or Parkinson's.

Hoyer Safety

Hoyer Lifts, or more commonly known as "Patient Lifts," are essential tools for safely lifting and transferring an immobile person from bed to chair. or where ever they need to be.  It's a simple mechanism designed to reduce the strain on your body from lifting and moving someone.  While it may be simple enough to operate, one must still be trained on how to safely use a Hoyer Lift.  Without proper training you might hurt yourself or the person you are caring for.



Above is an example of a lift, Read the manual to it, you'll need to know the weight limits of your lift.  One of the most important safety measures, is make sure the casters are spread, and the wheels are locked before you attempt to lift anyone.  The casters are there to make sure the lift doesn't fall over, and the locks keep it from rolling while lifting, which could also cause it to fall.

Make sure to attach each sling loop on the correct hooks and at the proper settings for your patient.  We are all different sizes, so there are varying loop lengths to ensure the sling is snug and safe for any size.

Once the sling is secure you can lift and transfer the person around to where they are needed.  Don't use this as a wheel chair substitute though.  A Hoyer is designed fro transferring from one surface to another, not for carrying someone around the house.