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Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Senior Citizens Concerned About Memory but Reluctant
to Tell Anyone
Study finds many do
not even share with their doctor
 November
29, 2006 – Senior citizens, even those most concerned about possible
memory loss, are not sharing this concern with their doctors. Among
those who voluntarily attended free memory screening during National
Memory Screening Day, 73 percent said they have concerns about their
memory but 30 percent said they had not shared this concern with anyone.
Of those who did share their concerns, most
confided in their spouse, according to the MetLife Mature Market
Institute study.
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While 84% of those who completed a survey, while
attending a the Alzheimer's Foundation of America screening, said they
had visited their doctor within the previous six months, only 24% of
those concerned about their memory shared their unease with their
physician.
A large discrepancy existed between the genders, as
more women (74%) than men (29%) said they had concerns about their
memory.
Better than 36% of respondents said the memory
screening was their first health screening of any type, with the top
motivating factors being forgetfulness (50%), a desire to obtain a
baseline score (56%) and having a relative with Alzheimer’s disease
(21%).
An estimated 4.5 million Americans now have
Alzheimer’s disease with that number predicted to grow to between 11.3
and 16 million by the year 2050. A MetLife Foundation Alzheimer’s survey
conducted in early 2006 showed that outside of cancer, Americans fear
Alzheimer’s more than heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
“With the high incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and
the aging of the population, individuals are more much aware that
certain changes in memory are not part of normal aging. While memory
screening is relatively new, it will likely grow in usage as one way for
individuals to begin to assess concerns about such memory changes,” said
Sandra Timmermann, Ed.D., director of the MetLife Mature Market
Institute.
Memory Screening: Who Attends and Why was conducted
on AFA’s National Memory Screening Day in November 2005 by AFA, the
MetLife Mature Market Institute and The Center for Productive Aging at
Towson University. Seven hundred sites in 49 states participated,
screening nearly 20,000 people.
A total of 2,562 (13%) of those screened completed
the survey, which examined the reasons for participation, prior
experience with health screenings, contact with physicians, memory
concerns and the demographic characteristics of respondents.
The average age of those who responded to the
survey was 69.9 years. Men in the survey were slightly older (71.3 on
average) than women (69.3). Seventy-two percent were retired.
“The findings of the study suggest that while
individuals may be concerned about their memory, many may be reluctant
to share their worry,” said Eric J. Hall, chief executive officer of AFA.
“There is a need to raise awareness and provide education about memory
issues and the importance of evaluation to determine whether one may or
may not have a problem that requires intervention. The earlier the
intervention, the better one’s quality of life can be.”
National Memory Screening Day is an annual event at
which qualified healthcare professionals provide free, confidential
memory screening as a first step toward proper diagnosis and treatment.
These screenings are not a diagnosis of any illness, but can indicate
whether further evaluation is required. Now in its fifth year, National
Memory Screening Day will be held on November 14, 2006.
Editor's Notes:
The MetLife Mature Market Institute is MetLife’s
information and policy resource center on issues related to aging,
retirement, long-term care and the mature market. Staffed by
gerontologists, the Institute provides research, training and education,
consultation and information to support MetLife, its corporate customers
and business partners. MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE:
MET), a leading provider of insurance and financial services with
operations throughout the U.S. and the Latin America, Europe and Asia
Pacific regions.
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) is a
national nonprofit organization focused on providing optimal care to
individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, and their
families. It unites hundreds of member organizations nationwide that
provide hands-on care to meet the educational, emotional, practical and
financial needs of families affected by dementia. www.alzfdn.org
The Center for Productive Aging at Towson
University provides a focal point for aging-related academic research
and community outreach programs of the University. Academic programs at
Towson include an undergraduate degree in Gerontology, a graduate
certificate and Master’s Degree in Applied Gerontology. Center faculty
are involved in applied research related to the aging workforce, family
caregiving and aging in the community.
The entire report, Memory Screening: Who Attends
and Why, can be found at
www.maturemarketinstitute.com under “What’s New.”
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