On Aging

Koreans — many of them elderly — line up to receive 500 won, or about 50 cents, from Shin Banpo Church in southern Seoul. Each week, organizers say, a few hundred seniors show up at each church that offers the service, and the line starts hours in adv

A Forgotten Generation: Half Of South Korea's Elderly Live In Poverty

7:21pm April 14, 2015

by Elise Hu

In a country known for its tech advances and rapid economic rise, the generation responsible for the growth isn't faring so well. Half of South Korea's seniors live below the poverty line.

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Jeralean Talley addresses the congregation as her pastor, Reverend Dana Darby, holds the microphone for her during a celebration of her 115th birthday.

Health & Safety

From Pork To Onion Sandwiches: Secrets To Supersurvivors' Long Lives

11:05am April 11, 2015

by Tamara Keith

At 115, Jeralean Talley is the world's oldest living person. She inherited the title from a 116-year-old Arkansan who died this week. NPR's Tamara Keith reflects on the secrets of a good, long life.

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The Allen Institute for Brain Science hosted its first BigNeuron Hackathon in Beijing earlier this month. Similar events are planned for the U.S. and U.K.

Hackers Teach Computers To Tell Healthy And Sick Brain Cells Apart

11:17am April 08, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

Scientists are still better than computers at assessing a neuron's health by looking at its shape. But an effort that includes an international series of hackathons could help speed the process.

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The Rev. Vernon Holmes leads a Lutheran congregation near Sacramento, Calif., that supports the state's right-to-die bill. He describes his faith as promoting quality of life.

California Faith Groups Divided Over Right-To-Die Bill

6:54pm April 03, 2015

by Pauline Bartolone

Many Christian denominations officially oppose legislation that would legalize medically assisted suicide. But some individual churches, pastors and congregants are lending support to the cause.

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Athos workout wear includes sensors that measure muscle activity.

Will Smart Clothing Amp Up Your Workout?

10:55am April 03, 2015

by Christina Farr

Startups are developing clothing with sensors that measure heart rate, breathing and muscle activity. Fitness enthusiasts are the target market. But the garments could be used for health care, too.

When combined with results of other neurological tests, and in the context of a thorough medical history, atrophy of the brain (shown here in an MRI scan) sometimes indicates Alzheimer's.

Many Doctors Who Diagnose Alzheimer's Fail To Tell The Patient

7:58pm April 01, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

Only about half of Medicare patients are told of the diagnosis by their doctor, a study finds. That compares to 90 percent of patients diagnosed with cancer.

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Health & Safety

Starting Families Later In Life Could Cause 'Grandparent Deficit'

10:29pm March 30, 2015

In a recent piece for Time magazine, Susanna Schrobsdorff presents an unexpected challenge for people starting families later in life.

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Johnny Reynolds ignored diabetes symptoms and put off going to the doctor for years when he didn't have health insurance. He was afraid he couldn't afford treatment.

States That Expand Medicaid Detect More Cases Of Diabetes

4:06pm March 30, 2015

by Anders Kelto

Researchers say their study suggests that more diabetes is being detected in particular states because, thanks to Medicaid, more poor people have access to screening and care.

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Dan Swangard, a 48-year-old physician from San Francisco, was diagnosed in 2013 with a rare form of metastatic cancer.

Doctors With Cancer Push California To Allow Aid In Dying

2:55pm March 30, 2015

by Anna Gorman

Dr. Dan Swangard doesn't know if he would take lethal medications to hasten death. But as someone with metastatic cancer, he wants to have that choice. He's part of a suit to change California law.

Health & Safety

At Aging Conference, Old Is The New Black

10:56am March 28, 2015

For the first in a series of regular discussions about aging, NPR's Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Ina Jaffe from the Aging in America Conference in Chicago.

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