Pumping Irony
LATEST STORIES
PUMPING IRONY: A Healthy Pessimism?
Do optimists live longer than pessimists? Maybe, but I’m not the only one arguing that a middle way may yield healthier benefits.
PUMPING IRONY: No Home for the Unhealthy
An old friend faces a future with Parkinson’s and an eventual move to an assisted-living facility that, barring an industry shift, will probably offer no medical care.
PUMPING IRONY: Shock Treatment
Recent research suggests that a simple regimen of electrical stimulation may extend lifespan. I just wish it didn’t involve my ears.
PUMPING IRONY: This Is Your Brain on Drugs
For this drug-averse geezer, recent research suggesting that long-term use of certain pharmaceuticals may contribute to dementia makes me even less likely to follow my doctor’s advice.
PUMPING IRONY: Risky Business
The elderly often climb on the operating table unprepared for the risks of surgery. New guidelines aim to help them — and their doctors — make more informed decisions.
PUMPING IRONY: A Vague Recollection
At my age, I’m often at a loss when trying to retrieve some bit of information from my memory banks. A new study suggests brain games and other mentally stimulating activities may help — sort of.
PUMPING IRONY: Die Hard
A new government report paints a dismal portrait of hospice care in the United States. And regulatory agencies are powerless to respond.
PUMPING IRONY: The DIY Dilemma
Age and affluence have limited my opportunities to embark on home-improvement projects, but a neighbor’s request for help resurrects my sense of usefulness.
PUMPING IRONY: A Matter of Trust
Only about a third of Americans say they have faith in doctors, a fact that may say more about the system than about the physicians.
PUMPING IRONY: Is Two Better Than One?
Exercise offers antiaging benefits as does a popular drug. So combining them should boost longevity, right? Not so much.
PUMPING IRONY: We All Fall Down
Elderly Americans are dying from falls at an alarming rate. I’m counting on some lessons learned through painful experience to help me avoid that fate.
PUMPING IRONY: Memories of the Mundane
You don’t need to check off items on a bucket list to convince yourself that you’ve lived a full life. Some of the most memorable experiences occur with no planning whatsoever.
PUMPING IRONY: Ignorance Is Bliss
Precision medicine hopes to revolutionize healthcare by revealing everything that’s going on in your body. It seems I’m not the only one who would prefer to be left in the dark.
PUMPING IRONY: Camera Shy
24/7 surveillance may deter abuse in long-term care facilities, but even its advocates admit it’s no panacea.
PUMPING IRONY: Teacher’s Pet
A new poll suggests domesticated animals are a great source of stress relief for geezers. My relationship with our elderly neurotic cat tells me it’s not nearly that simple.
PUMPING IRONY: A Plethora of Paradoxes
With a new study suggesting that restorative sleep depends on the same cellular dysfunction that accelerates aging, I’m left to choose between the lesser of two evils — while trying to keep my spouse happy.
PUMPING IRONY: Mindful of Mortality
A casual conversation takes a fatalistic turn, challenging my belief in the infinite moment.
PUMPING IRONY: A Coalition of the Confused?
Are my boomer compatriots so easily influenced by fake news on social-media sites that they’re presenting a serious threat to civic life? I’m not so sure.
PUMPING IRONY: Goodbye to All That
With my grandson moving away, I’m struggling to balance expectations against the inevitability of change.
PUMPING IRONY: Potty Joke
Medical technology can sometimes creep me out, but news of a “smart” toilet seat simply makes me laugh.
PUMPING IRONY: Fighting Frailty
Weakness overtakes us all at some point in our aging journey, but new research suggests an antidote.