12/4/2014 – Mental engagement may preserve health literacy in aging

Surfing the net, going to museums or joining a club might have an unexpected side effect: improving the ability of older people to understand drug labels and doctors’ instructions, according to a new study in the UK.

 “We found that the effects of internet use and cultural activities, along with other social activities, including civic activities and leisure activities, added up,” said lead author Lindsay Kobayashi of University College London. “The more social activities people engaged in, the better it was for their health literacy.”

Read the full article at Reuters.