A Look at Literacy

Well, August has been a nice long break.  But work continues on the needs assessment with an end in sight!  Today, September 7 is International Literacy Day.  While in North America in general, literacy rates are very high, there are pockets where there is not the case.  Literacy has come up in the needs assessment in a couple of ways.  The whole concept of "health literacy" understanding what a health care professional is saying to you and understanding what and why you are taking medications has been raised as an issue.  This is particularly the case for seniors.  Also related to seniors and literacy is the concept of elder abuse with some examples given of seniors who aren't literate being asked to sign something which takes away their ownership of something.  Can you think of ways that literacy impacts on your health?