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February 21, 2013 It appears that the current batch of flu vaccine is only about 9 percent effective in protecting people 65 and older against the H3N2 flu strain that's causing the most illness. Even so, health officials still recommend vaccination.

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February 20, 2013 Janet Sims-Wood, 67, is like millions of other seniors still working in order to make ends meet. For the part-time librarian, the recession put a huge dent in her savings, so she expects she'll have to work as long as her health allows.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

February 13, 2013 John David, 73, is one of the many faces of a growing group of Americans: seniors who work. The former TV producer switched careers in his 50s, becoming a fitness instructor. "This turned out to be the real calling," he says.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

February 13, 2013 Most people don't expect to work beyond retirement age, but for a growing number of older people, it's a reality. Almost a third of Americans between the ages of 65 and 70 are still working. For those 75 years and older, 7 percent are still on the job. An NPR series profiles some of these working seniors.

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February 5, 2013 KHNEven as deaths in acute-care hospitals declined in recent years, the use of intensive care units in the last month of life increased. There has been greater use of hospice care, but much of it was for three days or less at the very end of life, a study finds.

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February 5, 2013 KHNMany long-term care policies sold 30 years ago didn't specifically cover assisted living facilities. Policyholders rely on clauses that say new kinds of care will be covered when it becomes available, but the ultimate decision rests with insurers.

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February 4, 2013 Many of them have cut out smoking, and rates of heart attack and emphysema have declined. But baby boomers are burdened with diabetes, hypertension and many other chronic conditions. Researchers say too little exercise and a rise in obesity threaten baby boomers' golden years.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

January 29, 2013 KHNIf there's a settlement or judgment against another party in a liability case, Medicare is entitled to reimbursement for the money it spent on a beneficiary's medical care. The process is complex and prone to delays. A new law is expected to fix the problems.

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January 23, 2013 KHNHospice policies that reject patients on the grounds that no one's at home to care for them, while increasingly rare, do still exist around the country. But for many families, that's just not an option.

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January 10, 2013 Neuroscientists have found that bilingual seniors were better at certain skills that can fade with age than their monolingual peers, which could help protect them against Alzheimer's disease. But the researchers don't know whether learning a second language in adulthood would provide the same benefit.

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January 8, 2013 With most of the more than 5 million people with Alzheimer's cared for at home, the nation's largest provider of nonmedical senior home care now offers free training workshops for family caregivers. Caregivers are taught how to make use of long-term memories and to recognize what triggers anxiety.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

January 4, 2013 WUISAs graying baby boomers begin to consider their funeral needs, they're driving a trend toward less traditional, more personalized memorial services. But not everyone in the death-care industry is embracing those innovative changes.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

January 4, 2013 South Korea now appears to be the fastest-aging country in the world. The government has launched a series of creative programs, including a network of community centers for dementia patients and training for young people that simulates the physical and mental effects of old age.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

December 28, 2012 The latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics Health Poll finds that most Americans favor physician-assisted suicide for people with less than six months to live. But the survey found opposition to assisted suicide for people in severe pain who aren't terminally ill or for those with disabilities.

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