A man diagnosed with dementia at 49 has revealed the small change in his work routine that first signaled that something was wrong with his health.
A man was diagnosed with dementia at 49. Credit: TEK IMAGE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty
At just 49 years old, Peter Alexander was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – the same condition that has affected Die Hard legend Bruce Willis and TV host Wendy Williams.
According to the Mayo Clinic, FTD is an umbrella term for a group of brain diseases that mainly impact the frontal and temporal lobes – areas of the brain responsible for personality, behavior, and language.
“In frontotemporal dementia, parts of these lobes shrink, known as atrophy,” the Mayo Clinic explains. “Symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected. Some people with frontotemporal dementia have changes in their personalities.”
The symptoms vary depending on which part of the brain is affected. Some people experience personality changes, becoming “socially inappropriate, impulsive, or emotionally indifferent” while others struggle with language difficulties, losing the ability to properly communicate.
Now 56, Alexander – who is originally from England and lives in Northern Ireland with his wife Jill – has been forced to step away from work and focus on managing his health.
In a recent interview with BBC News, he revealed that it was a subtle change in his work habits that first hinted at a problem.
“I was starting to struggle to meet deadlines (at work), which had never been a problem before, and during meetings, I wouldn’t be able to think of a word when speaking,” he told the outlet.
Concerned about these issues, he booked an appointment with a neurologist and was sent for a scan which later revealed the devastating news.
“I remember the date very clearly, it was 14 January 2018 when the results came back and the doctor said: ‘Peter, I have diagnosed you with having frontotemporal dementia,'” he said.
The diagnosis meant Alexander had to leave his job. “I was basically told that it was no longer safe for me to work because I have diminished judgment and I was losing my filter, so it was a lot to adapt to,” he added.
Alexander realized something was wrong with his health at work. Credit: Westend61 / Getty
Despite his diagnosis, Alexander refuses to let dementia define him.
“People think when you have dementia it’s only about forgetting things but it’s more complex, it can manifest in different ways,” he said. “I don’t want to be treated differently, it’s imperative that people actually see the person, see beyond the condition.”
He also highlighted the long, difficult road to diagnosis, explaining: “Sadly for many people, the diagnosis can take an awful long time and that puts an enormous amount of pressure on the family unit.”
Alexander insisted that deep down inside, he is still the same person. “I might not always be able to express it in the same way, but I’m still the same person I was, inside I’m still Peter,” he concluded.
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