The current issue of Aging Well (January/February 2013) has an article titled "Can You Recognize Lewy Body Dementia?" It is written by a doctor for other doctors (geriatric professionals) and it points out that LBD is often misdiagnosed and that has consequences for the treatment plan.
It is written for professionals but I don't think it is too technical for us lay people.
It is available online. Copy this in the search box (Google or other) and you should be able to find it easily: Can You Recognize Lewy Body Dementia? By Charles E. Driscoll, MD, with Jean Driscoll
If you suspect your loved one might have this version of dementia, you might find it helpful to bring the article to the doctor's attention. (Getting a good diagnosis for someone with LBD can be a frustrating experience!)
There are many other differences, including reactions to certain drugs. (Generally DLB gets better results from Aricept, for example, and dangerously worse or negative results from Haldol.) Your family is lucky to have a specific diagnosis. That helps establish a good treatment plan.
Whatever kind of dementia someone has, the caregiver has to deal with each symptom as it arises. Books like the 36 Hour Day or Creating Moments of Joy can be very helpful for that. Just keep in mind that if the book was written primarily for Alzheimer's Disease then it may not be totally applicable to DLB. There are also books specifically for caregivers of folks with Lewy Bodies. A good one for starters is "Treasures in the Darkness" by Pat Snyder.
As a spouse of someone with DLB I think it is very helpful if other family members become familiar with the disease and know what to expect. I also recommend that the family find a support group for caregivers of this specific disease. My local support group has had several spouses attend with adult children.
The pathology in the brain is different between AD and DLB and looking at brain tissue is currently the only way an exact diagnosis can be made. My husband donated brain tissue for research. I am awaiting the post mortem examination report. His symptoms and reactions to drugs, etc. were consistent with DLB and that is what his treatment plan was based on. It will be interesting to see if that is confirmed.
She is still a challenge to feed as she will not open her mouth so I can get the food in. She is wheelchair bound due to weakness from the PD, but this is a blessing as her severe OCD causes her to be very "hands on" and busy all the time.
I will check out your reading suggestions and see it it will help me with Mom. Thanks for all the input you give us!