The purpose of the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) Webinar Series is to improve the care of older Veterans by presenting the latest advances and findings on topics related to aging and geriatrics, based on innovative research, education, and clinical activities of VA GRECCs. This curriculum is informed by staff responses to recent Learner Needs Assessments and evaluation feedback to address the specific educational needs of healthcare providers across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Current assessments indicate that many healthcare providers lack adequate knowledge and skills to appropriately manage common geriatric conditions and syndromes. The top educational needs identified include mental health, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, legal issues such as guardianship and advance directives, chronic pain, depression, and management of chronic conditions.

This knowledge-based live webinar will provide an overview of Lewy Body Dementias, explain why these dementias are diagnostically challenging, and discuss why older Veterans may be at higher risk. The session is designed for multidisciplinary healthcare teams caring for older adults, and will specifically address a critical knowledge gap regarding the diagnosis and management of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). The needs assessment revealed limited familiarity among healthcare professionals with the clinical diagnostic criteria, distinguishing features, and emerging research directions for LBD. This falls short of the expected competency level, which requires accurate recognition of LBD symptoms, application of standardized diagnostic guidelines, and awareness of ongoing research to inform evidence-based practice. Evidence of this gap is supported by documented findings from the Lewy Body Dementia Association and the Fourth Consensus Report of the DLB Consortium (McKeith et al., 2017), which highlight frequent misdiagnosis and delayed treatment due to insufficient clinician education. By completing this activity, healthcare professionals will improve their competence in identifying and differentiating LBD from other dementias, enhance performance in applying current diagnostic criteria, and ultimately contribute to better patient outcomes through timely and accurate diagnosis, appropriate management strategies, and informed participation in research initiatives.