Patrick Dare had built a solid 35-year career in IT sales, climbing the ranks without a hitch. But at 54, everything changed during his first-ever HR review. He knew he had to face the truth.
“For the year before, I’d been dealing with mood swings—not huge ones, but I got cranky more often,” Dare shared with news.com.au. Evenings hit him hardest. He’d snap at his partner, Tanya, or yell at the dogs—totally out of character. Then came paranoia: He started thinking coworkers gossiped about him behind his back.
It all boiled over one day when he swore at team members during a tense moment. The usually calm guy ended up in performance management. “Everyone at work knew it wasn’t the real me, and so did I,” he said.
Dare, who lives in Queensland, Australia, had battled depression back in 2006. At first, he feared this was another mental health crisis. But after tests, doctors diagnosed him with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), also called frontal lobe dementia. This form often strikes people under 65, in what’s known as younger onset dementia.
Before his diagnosis in 2019, Dare thought dementia mainly meant forgetting things. That’s a big myth, says Associate Professor Rowena Mobbs, a top Australian expert on concussions and dementia. She’s backing the Think Again campaign by news.com.au and The Australian.
“Dementia isn’t just about memory loss,” Mobbs explains. It can disrupt brain networks that control behavior, leading to what’s called behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia, or BPSD. These issues spark problems like falls, hospital stays, confusion, and even overprescribed meds.
Spotting BPSD early makes a huge difference, Mobbs adds. “It helps prevent those complications, so people can stay in their communities longer and ease the burden on families.”
Dementia affects more than 433,000 Australians today, and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare predicts that number will double to one million by 2064. For younger onset dementia, about 29,000 people under 65 live with it now. That could jump 41% to 41,000 by 2054, per Dementia Australia and AIHW data.
“It’s not just stats—it’s real lives,” says Tim England, a dementia expert with YOD Reflections, a support group for younger onset dementia. “At the current rate, we’ll see a new diagnosis every day for the next 30 years. It hits the person and their whole family.”
Younger onset cases bring unique challenges. Someone in their 50s or younger might still juggle mortgages, kids, and jobs, unlike those diagnosed later in life. “One client is 32 with young kids,” England notes. “They’re rushing to school while processing this. We need family-wide support.”
England compares it to breast cancer care. Get that diagnosis, and a nurse navigator often steps in right away—connecting you to resources, services, and help. Dementia? Too often, it’s just the news and a nudge to sort your affairs. “It leaves people feeling so alone,” he says.
For Dare, the diagnosis brought shock but also relief. “It was like a weight off my chest—it explained it all,” he says. FTD had stolen his filter; he’d blurt rude things without a second thought. Now, he catches himself faster. After a recent outburst at Tanya, he apologized right away.
Dare kept working until 2021, when the job’s details overwhelmed him. He quit, and losing that career identity stung more than the diagnosis at first. “I pulled back hard in 2021 and early 2022,” he admits. “I avoided people, scared I’d say the wrong thing.”
But he turned it around. Now, as part of Dementia Australia’s Advisory Committee, Dare advocates for younger onset dementia awareness. He shows how people can lead full, independent lives with proper support and planning.
“I call my brain a duck on water,” he laughs. “Calm on top, but paddling like mad below.” He manages by setting limits—no afternoon drives or late nights, since fatigue worsens his symptoms. “I’m realistic now. I still slip sometimes and get weird looks, but I own it and explain.”
His old coworkers? No grudges. “We grab coffee, chat, and joke about me pulling the ‘dementia card,'” Dare says. Through his story, he’s pushing for better understanding of dementia symptoms like BPSD and the growing need for dementia support in Australia.
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