Church key to good mental health among older people, study suggests

Joining a religious organisation is more beneficial than charity work, sport or education in improving the mental health of older people in Europe, a study has found. The findings from a study of 9,000 Europeans aged 50+ over a four-year period by the Erasmus MC and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), also revealed that political and community organisations can actually have a detrimental impact on the mental health of older Europeans on a long-term basis. LSE epidemiologist Dr Mauricio Avendano said the only activity associated with sustained happiness was attending a church, synagogue or mosque. “The