Magazine survey findings: What you told us

We were overwhelmed with the 2,055 responses to our print survey of Living with dementia magazine readers, totalling 2,195 when combined with online responses. We thank all of you who took part – this information is incredibly valuable to us.

Thanks also to Opinion Research Services, the independent agency who conducted the survey and identified these key findings.

What we achieve

Four-fifths (81%) of respondents said they read all or most of the magazine, and nearly nine in 10 (87%) said they are likely to recommend it to others affected by the condition or involved in the dementia movement.

'Around half (48%) said they had been prompted to get more information, advice or support after reading something in the magazine.'

Over four-fifths said the magazine helps them feel better informed about living with dementia (87%), in touch with the Society (83%) or that support is available if needed (82%). Three-quarters said it gives them ideas about how they can support the cause (76%), and over three-fifths that it helps them feel that others understand what they’re going through (62%).

Around half (48%) said they had been prompted to get more information, advice or support after reading something in the magazine, while around a third said they’ve found out more about research (36%) or done something differently to help deal with the condition in their everyday life (32%).

What you’d change

When asked how we could improve the magazine, the most common response was that it is great as it is (31%). More than one in 10 said better availability in places such as GP waiting rooms or libraries (17%), more input from people affected by dementia (14%), more to prepare people for the realities of living with it (14%) and more on research or facts about dementia (13%).

Who you are

Two-fifths of respondents said they used to be a carer (41%) and are generally interested in dementia (38%). Over a third said they have (35%) or had (35%) a relative or friend with the condition. A quarter said they are a carer now (26%), while 7% said they have dementia, dementia symptoms or mild cognitive impairment.

Over two-thirds (69%) have donated to us or helped raise funds in the last six months. During the same time, a quarter have used our services (25%) and more than a fifth have supported our campaigns (22%), while around one in 10 have taken part in dementia research (11%) or supported others as one of our volunteers (11%).

What next?

The researchers have drawn a lot more detail out from your responses, and we’ll be using this to improve the magazine further. We’ll also continue to make use of readers’ comments and feedback from the groups we visit.

There are some great ideas for things we should be covering, and we’ll want to make sure the magazine is distributed as widely as it should be and in the right ways. Another important change to look out for may also be a new name for the magazine.