practical living
Losing my masculinity
The effect of dementia on men’s sense of
self can be debilitating, but there is hope.
John Quinn interviewed by Dallas Bastian
I
felt ashamed that I could no longer provide for my family.”
A dementia advocate has shared with conference attendees
his experience of younger onset dementia and its impact on
his sense of masculinity.
Presenting on the topic at HammondCare’s International
Dementia Conference in Sydney, former Brisbane school
principal John Quinn said some of the biggest challenges
included loss of autonomy, leaving a lot of the decision-making
in life to his care partner, Glenys Petrie, and relinquishing his
driver’s licence.
Quinn worked for 35 years as an educator and school
administrator, but said his sense of identity was altered after his
diagnosis in 2010 at the age of 59.
“Being in a position of authority and then having no job had a
big impact on me,” he said.
The director of the HammondCare Dementia Centre, Associate
Professor Colm Cunningham, said it was extremely important to
hear directly from people living with dementia.
“John’s work is so important as the narrative of stories and
direct experiences of those living with dementia enrich our
understanding and inform our role in supporting people with
dementia and their carers.”
Aged Care Insite spoke with Quinn to find out more about his
thoughts following his diagnosis of younger onset dementia,
how he reframed his sense of masculinity and his conversations
with other people who shared his experience.
ACI: Can you walk us through the thoughts that were going
through your head followi