Reaping the Rewards Later: How Education Improves Old-Age Cognition in South Africa

Cognitive abilities are fundamental for decision-making, and understanding the causes of human capital depreciation in old age is especially important an aging society. Using a longitudinal labor survey that collects direct proxy measures cognitive skills, we study effect educational attainment on performance late adulthood South Africa. We find robust evidence increase year schooling improves memory general cognition. also heterogeneous effects performance. explore mechanisms through which education can affect show more supportive social environment, improved health habits, reduced stress levels likely play critical role mediating beneficial cognition among elderly.