She ain't heavy. She's my mother.

I lift heavy things daily. It could be a crate, a flat of bottled water or laundry detergent. It might be a long table. It could be a load of hot towels fresh out of the dryer.

I also experience the heaviness of attempting to lighten the load of the person responsible for my existence. I lift my mother, a 100+ lb. woman with Lewy Body Dementia, several times a day. As I hold her, I think about how Lewy has transformed her life in ways neither of us could fathom.

The second most common form of progressive dementia, (after Alzheimer’s Disease), Lewy Body Dementia occurs when protein deposits called Lewy bodies form in the parts of the brain controlling thinking, memory and movement.

Difficulty navigating distance. Hand tremors. A shuffling gait. Falls. Those were among the clues that something was amiss with the 1.4 million people diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia.

Though the World Health Organization estimates that millions have this disease that still stumps the medical community, the number of people affected by Lewy Body Dementia is magnified when considering its effects on care teams. From geriatricians and neurologists, to family members who witness the things we often take for granted ebbing away, Lewy Body Dementia’s effects loom long, large and fast.

March is Lewy Body Dementia Medical Awareness Month. I decided to share information about the disease during the last full week of this month so you can approach the new month with knowledge about something that may affect you at a moment’s notice. You may need to know how to support a person with Lewy Body Dementia tomorrow.

Or, minutes after reading this.

So, how should you support members of the Lewy Body Dementia community?

• Take Lewy Body Dementia seriously. Whether nervousness, ignorance or cruelty, people make light of Lewy Body Dementia’s manifestations. Seeing loved ones hallucinate or fall is a heavy experience. It is beyond a serious matter. Yet, others joke about it. Would those same people still laugh if a hallucination, fall or seizure causes them to lose someone who provided the building blocks of their lives?

• Recognize that they are still human beings, not an illness. No matter your station, human connection is key to good health. Relegating a person to Lewy Body Dementia instead of honoring their place in your life robs the person of life’s joys. It also robs you of the joy of new experiences you can treasure during life’s pains.

• Reject the notions that the person will neither know you, nor know how to converse coherently. Lewy Body Dementia patients have heavy moments of lucidity, especially when it comes to the familiar.

It’s better for you to see what they can do, instead of focusing on what you assume they cannot do.

Refrain from talking about them to other people like they are not sitting in front of you. Want to know if they can still talk? Why not talk to them?

But, resist initiating the conversation with, “Do you know who I am?”

My mother will never be anything but my mother. An educator and counselor by profession, if I need advice on a heavy subject, I consult her first. If she sees I am hurting, she stops at nothing to lift my burden.

Your family member or friend with Lewy Body Dementia may do the same for you in your time of need. You must reciprocate. It strengthens bonds.

• Research, research, research. Nothing is more troubling than people not taking Lewy Body Dementia seriously because they have not done their research.

A good starting point? The 2020 documentary, “Robin’s Wish.”

Told from his loved ones and physicians’ perspectives, “Robin’s Wish” explores Lewy’s effects on entertainer Robin Williams. After Williams’ 2014 suicide at his Northern California home, his family revealed the Oscar winner had Lewy Body Dementia.

“Robin's Wish” hits a home run for many in the Lewy Body community.

• Respect the people who are with them 24/7. Support their primary caregivers. Empathy and compassion are life-affirming. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates about 80 percent of those with dementia are aging in place, vs. living in a facility.

Being a caregiver for someone with dementia is not for the faint of heart. They are taking care of someone with a brain disease. Many sacrifice their livelihoods and the needs of their own spouses and children to care for their parents, grandparents or friends. They are more prone to anxiety, sleep deprivation, depression and other health challenges they work to keep under control while ensuring their loved ones’ safety and security.

• If you visit someone with Lewy Body Dementia, give their caregiver(s) a break. Leave your judgments at home. You have no clue what caregivers may have experienced before your visit. You may have had a restful sleep. But, while you were dreaming at 2 a.m., a caregiver may have been trying to get a loved one to finally go to sleep. Or, that caregiver’s sleep may have been interrupted at 3:30 a.m. because their loved one awoke, determined to mail important letters at the post office.

• If you see a person with dementia about to fall or begin moving without a mandatory mobility aid, i.e., cane, walker or wheelchair, don’t just stand there. Help them avoid danger. Everyone has a duty to keep people with dementia from harming themselves and others. If you could have prevented someone from having a serious injury or worse, imagine how embarrassing it would be to tell family members or hospital staff why you chose not to.

• Ditch the camera when your loved one is suffering. People enjoy taking photos during special occasions. But, a camera should not capture sundowning, weight loss or walking difficulties. No one should photograph those who are bedbound.

Turning times of heartbreak and uncertainty into photoshoots robs an ill person of his dignity and invades his privacy. It may also upset others who see the photos. Before whipping out a camera during vulnerable moments, ask yourself: Would you want anyone to see you like this?

• If you are a medical professional, request to be trained to work with families affected by Lewy Body Dementia. You encounter all kinds of people at work. The Lewy Body Dementia community is growing in size and recognition. It is worlds apart from Alzheimer’s Disease; consequently, there is specialized training for Lewy Body Dementia. Talk to your supervisor about such programs. Seek out geriatricians and memory care facility employees. Read books. Watch videos of people who care for those with Lewy Body Dementia.

Whether you are within or outside of the medical community, consider visiting the following websites for additional Lewy Body Dementia research:

• Lewy Body Dementia Association

• American Brain Foundation

• Lewy Body Dementia Resource Center

• Dementia Society of America

• Alzheimer’s Association.

Lewy Body Dementia is brutal. It's heavy. Keep these tips handy. They may help you lighten the Lewy Body Dementia community's load.