Over-55s fear dementia above cancer

16 September 2009 05:42pm

Over-55s are more worried about developing dementia than getting cancer, research has found.

Almost six in 10 (58%) people in this age group listed dementia as their biggest concern, followed by becoming physically frail (51%), cancer (49%) and having a heart attack (47%).

Dr Graham Stokes, head of mental health for Bupa Care Services, which commissioned the survey of more than 1,000 people, said: "These results show the real worry that dementia causes.

"More people are getting dementia and are living longer with the condition, so it is not something that will go away.

"It is vital that people are familiar with the signs and symptoms of dementia in order to be able to prepare and plan for the future."

Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust, said: "It is easy to see why people are so scared of dementia.

"A total of 25 million people in the UK know someone with dementia, and 700,000 people have the condition, a number expected to double within a generation.

"It is a nasty disease that we must do everything possible to tackle. Research into treatments and a possible cure is still terribly under-funded.

"Dementia research receives eight times less Government investment than cancer research.

"Cancer, quite justly, receives substantial Government funding for medical research; dementia should be treated proportionately too."

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