Six in Ten (58%) Aging Canadian Boomers Have Experienced Short-Term Memory Loss in the Past Year

Toronto, ON - It appears that middle-aged Canadians are becoming more and more concerned with memory loss as they grow older. A new Ipsos Reid study, conducted on behalf of the Alzheimer's Foundation for Caregiving of Canada, and involving Canadians between the ages of 40 and 60 and Caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease has shed new light on how these adults think about their memory as they age.

Two in three (64% adults) have experienced memory loss or forgetfulness frequently or occasionally in the past year. Of those, nine in ten (90% adults) have experienced short-term memory loss in the past year. This means that of the entire Canadian population aged 40 to 60, six in ten (58%) have experienced short-term memory loss in the past year.

Among those who have experienced memory loss, the most frequent instances of forgetfulness include forgetting where items, such as keys and glasses, are placed (35%) and forgetting personal names (34%).

Nearly nine in ten (85%) adults aged 40 to 60 have never heard of the term Age Associated Memory Impairment (AAMI). Aging Canadians do say they have a number of resources at their disposal for finding information, however, including their doctor (88%), the internet (62%), or their pharmacist (21%).

Additionally, seven in ten (69%) say they would be interested in participating in a memory screening clinic with a nurse, pharmacist or other healthcare professional, and four in ten (42%) say they would be very likely to take measures such as exercise, diet, natural products, medication, or other means to prevent or control memory loss and forgetfulness. Despite this, however, only one in ten (9%) agrees that there are effective treatments for memory loss and forgetfulness.

Alzheimer's disease caregivers, however, seem to be more troubled by the issue of memory loss. While six in ten (58%) adults express concern about memory loss and forgetfulness resulting from aging, that figure rises to eight in ten (76%) among caregivers for the disease. As well, Alzheimer's disease caregivers are more likely to be concerned about memory loss/forgetfulness (76%) compared to other aging conditions, such as decreased vision (66%), weight gain (65%) and sleep disorders (58%).

More than half (55%) of Alzheimer's disease caregivers said they would be very likely to take measures such as exercise, diet, natural products and medication to prevent or control memory loss/forgetfulness, compared to four in ten (38%) adults aged 40 to 60. More than one third (36%) of Alzheimer's disease caregivers strongly agreed that memory loss scared them compared to two in ten (19%) adults aged 40 to 60.

Additionally, more than one third (36%) of Alzheimer's disease caregivers were very concerned about experiencing short-term memory loss compared to 27% of other adults aged 40 to 60, and four in ten (37%) Alzheimer's disease caregivers were very concerned about experiencing long-term memory loss, compared to two in ten (21%) adults aged 40 to 60.

These are the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted from June 19th to June 24th 2008. This online survey of 1390 Canadian adults aged 40 to 60 and 349 Caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Research Manager
Ipsos Reid
Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid
Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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