According to a 2024 report by the Alzheimer’s Association, nearly seven million Americans aged 65-plus live with Alzheimer’s dementia. Fortunately, recent years have seen significant advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and its symptoms, including new medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But as promising as these advancements are, public awareness of them has lagged behind.
In February 2025, AARP fielded a survey among American adults 50-plus to explore awareness and opinions related to brain health, dementia and the emerging treatments to slow the progression of the disease and manage its symptoms. In this week’s blog post, we offer some key takeaways from the study’s report, “Views About Brain Health and Dementia: Adults 50-Plus.” For a deeper dive, AgeTech Collaborative participants can access the entire report in the AgeTech Collaborative Library, our curated collection of research and resources available exclusively to ecosystem participants.
Awareness of Brain Health
Most Americans who are 50-plus have a broad understanding of the concept of brain health. More than 80% believe it encompasses the ability to think and learn, and nearly as many (73%) believe it means having a good memory and the ability to solve problems. About 60% consider good brain health to include the absence of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's, and more than half (52%) believe it means the absence of mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression.
When it comes to dementia, about half of older adults are aware that there is no cure, a substantial increase from just four years ago (49% today, versus 42% in 2021). However, nearly one in three adults 50-plus mistakenly believe that dementia is a normal part of aging.
Many Americans who are 50-plus (43%) are at least somewhat worried about developing dementia. Almost as many (38%) are not very or not at all concerned about developing the condition, but 20% are extremely worried about it. Nevertheless, a strong majority (72%) agree that early detection of dementia is important because it can lead to better disease management.
Few (just 16%) have heard anything about new medications used to treat Alzheimer’s disease, and even fewer (9%) have heard of medications to treat Alzheimer’s symptoms. Similarly, only 20% are aware of blood tests that identify biomarkers that can diagnose Alzheimer’s at an early stage.
Beliefs About Brain Health Interventions
The vast majority (85%) of older adults would be likely to take medications to treat early-stage Alzheimer’s, despite only 11% actually knowing that such drugs exist. Even fewer are aware of the cost of such drugs (7%), their side effects (5%), and how they actually work (3%).
Most American adults 50-plus (73%) would get a blood test to see if they have biomarkers for Alzheimer’s, even in the absence of symptoms. By contrast, 27% would not be likely to get such tests. Interestingly, adults who are 65 or older are significantly more likely to have heard of such blood tests compared to adults aged 50 to 64 (23% versus 15%).
If diagnosed with dementia, a majority of people 50-plus (79%) would be willing to take medication to slow its progression. A similar number, 74%, would take medication to help them manage symptoms of the disease. Beyond pharmaceuticals, a majority of people indicate they would embrace lifestyle changes to help them manage the condition, including engaging in mentally stimulating activities (78%), getting enough restful sleep (64%), eating nutritious meals (63%), socializing with friends and family (57%) and reducing stress levels (53%). Significantly, women outpace men when it comes to a willingness to socialize (64% versus 50%) and reduce their stress levels (60% versus 44%).
Many older adults understand they can lower their risk of developing dementia by adopting healthy lifestyle habits. However, views are mixed on the efficacy of such lifestyle changes, with a plurality (43%) believing they can lower their risk, and 30% believing they can significantly lower their risk. On the other hand, 15% think lifestyle has no impact. Moreover, younger adults tend to be more skeptical: 11% of adults aged 50–64 think lifestyle has no effect, compared to 18% of adults over 65.
Conclusions
Adults aged 50 and older in the U.S. generally understand what brain health entails, and they show a strong willingness to adopt strategies—both medical and lifestyle-related—to protect it, particularly in the context of dementia. Many have a solid grasp of how healthy lifestyle habits can reduce their risk for dementia, indicating that public health messaging about lifestyle changes is gaining traction. In addition, most older adults recognize the value of an early dementia diagnosis and would be willing to take a blood test to identify biomarkers of the disease.
On the other hand, public awareness of new medications for Alzheimer’s remains low, which — given the high levels of interest in early diagnoses and willingness to embrace interventions — represents a significant opportunity to improve the public’s understanding of new pharmaceutical treatments, including their risks, benefits and accessibility.
To learn how six AgeTech Collaborative startup participants are innovating brain health solutions, check out last week’s post on our blog, Innovating Brain Health: Six Startups Addressing Alzheimer’s and Cognitive Well-Being. And you can learn about the work of all AgeTech Collaborative startup participants by visiting our Startup Directory.
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