Introduction to Frontal Lobe Dementia
When Patrick Dare was called into his first-ever HR review at the age of 54, he finally had to be honest with himself. “I’d had a high-level career in IT sales for the last 35 years, and I’d never had any issues with my performance until then,” Dare told news.com.au. “For maybe a year prior, I’d been experiencing some mood changes – nothing major, just getting a little bit cranky,” he said.
Early Symptoms and Diagnosis
“I was worse in the evenings, I’d be shouting at my partner, Tanya, I’d be shouting at the dogs – just out-of-character anger. Then, it progressed to paranoia: I became convinced people were talking about me behind my back at work.” It culminated with the outburst that landed the usually mild-mannered Dare in performance management, when he swore at a few people in his service team. Initially, the Queensland resident, who had been through a devastating bout of depression in 2006, worried that his symptoms might be related to another mental health episode. After a suite of tests, however, Dare was diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia – also known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – which is a type more commonly diagnosed in people under the age of 65.
Understanding Frontal Lobe Dementia
Dare said before the diagnosis, his previous understanding of dementia was that it mostly centered on memory loss. This is a common misconception, said Associate Professor Rowena Mobbs, one of Australia’s leading concussion and dementia physicians. Mobbs – who is throwing her support behind news.com.au and The Australian’s Think Again campaign – said certain conditions can impact the cognitive networks in the brain that influence behavior, something experts refer to as Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia, or BPSD.
Impact of Frontal Lobe Dementia
“BPSD is a significant cause of complications, including falls, hospitalizations, delirium, and over medication,” Mobbs said. More than 433,000 Australians are currently living with dementia, with the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) predicting this number to rise to one million by 2065. About 29,000 people aged under 65 are currently living with younger onset dementia, with that number predicted to rise by 41 per cent to 41,000 people by 2054, according to figures from Dementia Australia and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Support for Younger Onset Dementia
“It’s easy to get bogged down in the numbers, but that means that for the next 30 years, there’s going to be a new diagnosis of younger onset dementia every single day in this country,” dementia expert Tim England from YOD Reflections said. England compares the current systemic support for dementia patients with those that exist for breast cancer patients. “God forbid you get a diagnosis of breast cancer,” he said. “What happens after diagnosis? In many cases, you have someone called a breast cancer nurse navigator who is assigned to you straight away to start getting things done, who can put you in touch with various supports and help navigate the services and requirements,” he said.
Living with Frontal Lobe Dementia
For Dare, who received his diagnosis in 2019, it was both a shock and a bittersweet relief. “To be honest, it was a breath of fresh air, because it explained everything,” he said. Dare was able to continue working up until 2021, at which point the finer details of his job became too overwhelming and he resigned. He said initially the loss of the career identity that he’d had for more than half his life hit him harder than the initial diagnosis. Now a member of Dementia Australia’s Advisory Committee, Dare is committed to raising awareness of the fact that people with younger-onset dementia can live fulfilling, independent lives with the right support and planning in place.
Conclusion
Dare said he’s now learnt to manage his symptoms by being more realistic about what he can do. “I now regulate myself,” he said. “I don’t drive a car in the afternoons. I don’t put myself in positions of being out late at night or anything like that, because I just can’t handle it. I’m very much aware now of what I do, and while there are times I still can’t stop myself from doing some things, and I get some looks, I’m better at acknowledging and explaining.”
FAQs
- Q: What is frontal lobe dementia?
A: Frontal lobe dementia, also known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD), is a type of dementia that affects the frontal lobe of the brain, leading to changes in behavior, personality, and language abilities. - Q: What are the symptoms of frontal lobe dementia?
A: Symptoms of frontal lobe dementia include mood changes, paranoia, out-of-character anger, and difficulty with language and speech. - Q: How is frontal lobe dementia diagnosed?
A: Frontal lobe dementia is diagnosed through a suite of tests, including cognitive and behavioral assessments, and imaging tests such as MRI or CT scans. - Q: Can people with frontal lobe dementia live independently?
A: With the right support and planning, people with frontal lobe dementia can live fulfilling, independent lives. - Q: What support services are available for people with younger onset dementia?
A: Support services such as YOD Reflections provide specialized support for people living with younger onset dementia, including counseling, advocacy, and education.
