A Parent Seeing Things That Are Not There Can Signal Lewy Body Dementia

For decades he was the steadiest voice in the room, whether that room was the bridge of a starship or a Shakespearean stage. In his final chapter, Patrick Stewart was living with two brain diseases at once.

The actor best known as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor X in the X-Men films died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles at age 86, according to the family's announcement. A statement shared by his longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, said he died in the care of his wife, Sunny, after a "brief and poignant journey" with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia, ABC News reported. It is unclear when he was diagnosed, and his family asked that memorial contributions go to Alzheimer's research and caregiver resources. Most people know the first diagnosis, though the second one deserves just as much attention.

Key takeaways

Patrick Stewart died on October 28, 2026, at 86, after living with both Alzheimer's disease and LBD, according to his family's statement.

Mayo Clinic describes LBD as the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's disease.

Early signs can include seeing things that are not there, swings in alertness, movement changes, and acting out dreams, sometimes before memory slips.

The Alzheimer Society of Canada estimates that 771,939 people in Canada were living with dementia at the start of 2025.

People with LBD can react badly to some antipsychotic medicines, which makes an accurate diagnosis especially important.

What makes this kind of brain change so easy to miss?

Alzheimer's disease is a household name, while Lewy body dementia, or LBD, remains unfamiliar to many people despite being common. Mayo Clinic's overview of LBD describes it as the second most common type of dementia after Alzheimer's. It develops when abnormal clumps of protein, called Lewy bodies, build up in nerve cells in the parts of the brain involved in thinking, memory, and movement.

Part of what makes it easy to miss is that no single test can diagnose it, so doctors reach the diagnosis by ruling out other conditions with similar symptoms, according to the Alzheimer Society of Canada's guide to LBD. LBD and Alzheimer's can also travel together, since Mayo Clinic notes that people with Lewy bodies in the brain can also have the plaques and tangles linked to Alzheimer's. The comedian Robin Williams had LBD too, though its signs were found only at autopsy after his death in 2014.

Why can visual hallucinations come before memory loss?

With LBD, memory loss may not show up in the early stages, according to the Alzheimer Society. Many people develop visual hallucinations early, seeing people, animals, or shapes that are not there, and Mayo Clinic says these images often come back regularly.

Others notice movement changes that look like Parkinson's, such as stiffness, slowness, a tremor, or a shuffling walk. Our guide to shaky hands as you get older explains how a Parkinson's-type tremor differs from the more common kind.

Attention and alertness can swing noticeably, with clear spells followed by foggy ones, and some people act out their dreams during sleep, sometimes years before other symptoms appear. Because LBD can also affect the part of the nervous system that controls blood pressure, it can cause dizziness and falls on standing. Our guide to why you keep getting dizzy covers the many other causes worth ruling out.

How many people in Canada are affected?

Dementia touches far more families in this country than most people realize. The Alzheimer Society of Canada's dementia forecasts estimate that 771,939 people in Canada were living with dementia as of January 1, 2025. As the population ages, it projects nearly one million by 2030 and more than 1.7 million by 2050.

Not all of that is out of anyone's control, and our guide to the dementia risk factors you can change explains which habits and health conditions make a measurable difference over time.

Which warning signs should families watch for?

When a parent starts seeing things that are not there, or seems confused one day and sharp the next, families can spend months chasing other explanations. Medication side effects, stress, poor sleep, and normal aging can all get blamed before anyone raises Lewy bodies as a possibility. Our guide to whether memory loss with age is normal or early dementia explains which changes fit normal aging, and knowing the warning signs shortens the search.

A correct diagnosis changes things in practical ways. It helps families understand what they are dealing with and connects them to the right support. It also matters medically, because Mayo Clinic warns that antipsychotic medicines can cause severe confusion, movement problems, and sedation in people with LBD.

Write down what you notice. Record each hallucination, confused spell, fall, or sleep episode with the date, since a clear record over time is one of the most useful things to bring to an appointment.

Watch the pattern across days. Note whether alertness swings between clear spells and foggy ones, which is a classic clue for LBD.

List every medication. Include prescriptions, sleep aids, and supplements so the doctor can check for side effects, since Mayo Clinic notes that some sleep aids and bladder medicines can worsen memory.

Ask for a full assessment. Request a memory and thinking assessment, and a referral to a specialist if the picture is unclear.

Get same-day help for sudden changes. Sudden confusion, a bad fall, or new weakness needs urgent care, and a medical emergency needs 911.

Where can care partners find support?

Care partners carry an enormous share of this disease, often while juggling work and their own health, and our look at the real cost of unpaid caregiving in Canada shows how much that adds up. You can find your area's Alzheimer Society for dementia information, education, support, and programs, and the national site has a guide for people caring for someone living with dementia.

If memory changes worry you most, our guide to the 10-minute memory test every adult should take explains what a quick screening involves and why it makes a sensible first step.

Frequently asked questions

Why would an older parent start seeing things that are not there?

Hallucinations in an older adult can come from medication side effects, infections that trigger delirium, worsening eyesight, or brain changes such as those caused by Lewy bodies. They always deserve a medical assessment instead of a shrug. Delirium, a sudden state of confusion, is a medical emergency, so seek same-day care if confusion and hallucinations appear quickly.

Can a person have more than one cause of memory loss at once?

More than one cause can be present at the same time, which doctors call mixed dementia. Patrick Stewart's family said he lived with both Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Mixed causes can make symptoms harder to read, which is why a full assessment and follow-up visits over time matter.

Which medicines can be risky for someone with this diagnosis?

Mayo Clinic warns that antipsychotic medicines can cause severe confusion, movement problems, sedation, and sometimes death in people with LBD. Some sleep aids and bladder medicines can also worsen memory. Always tell every doctor and pharmacist about the diagnosis, and never stop or start a medicine without advice from a prescriber.

Your next step

If changes in memory, thinking, sleep, or movement have you worried about yourself or a parent, real answers start with an assessment. The Medimap Health Hub has more on brain health and healthy aging, and you can find a family practice near you or compare walk-in clinics and book a same-day or next-day appointment.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. It does not replace a conversation with a doctor or other qualified health professional who knows your history. If you think you are having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.