Seniors Benefit From Learning a New Language...

The May 2014 Consumer Reports onHealth front page article read: "How to sharpen your memory now".  What we found especially interesting - no surprise: we love languages! - was Arthur Kramer's assessment of the value of crossword puzzles vs. learning a new language. (He is director of the Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois and a designer of brain-training protocols for the Department of Defense.)
"'[Crossword puzzles] aren't going to do much of anything, because research has shown that to reap benefits, the task should be novel,' Kramer says. Instead, try learning a new language; it will promote new pathways for communication within the brain while providing an educating experience that leaves you better able to analyze and overcome challenges. Indeed, 'people who take on these types of intellectual engagement get diagnosed less frequently with diseases like Alzheimer's,' Kramer says."

We should mention, however - as the the article also notes - that "any challenging activity that requires you to learn a new skill, from basket weaving to ballroom dancing, counts."

And with GamesforLanguage you can learn, practice and play for FREE...