Abstract

The aim of this review is to point out the role played by numeracy for the promotion of psychophysical and economic well-being in late adulthood. Specifically, it will be highlighted how the ability to understand and process numerical information and to carry out calculation is crucial for the health-related (e.g., adherence therapeutic treatments) and financial-related decision making (e.g., investment schema for retired people) in a lifespan phase in which usually one needs more health care assistance. Then, the tools developed for the assessment of numeracy of the Italian elders will be illustrated, and finally possible interventions to enhance numeracy in late adulthood will be presented.