Pumping Irony Archives - Page 2 of 26

Two glasses half-filled with water. One says

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PUMPING IRONY: A Healthy Pessimism?

By Craig Cox

Do optimists live longer than pessimists? Maybe, but I’m not the only one arguing that a middle way may yield healthier benefits.

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PUMPING IRONY: No Home for the Unhealthy

By Craig Cox

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.

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PUMPING IRONY: Shock Treatment

By Craig Cox

Recent research suggests that a simple regimen of electrical stimulation may extend lifespan. I just wish it didn’t involve my ears.

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PUMPING IRONY: This Is Your Brain on Drugs

By Craig Cox

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.

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PUMPING IRONY: Risky Business

By Craig Cox

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.

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PUMPING IRONY: A Vague Recollection

By Craig Cox

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.

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PUMPING IRONY: Die Hard

By Craig Cox

A new government report paints a dismal portrait of hospice care in the United States. And regulatory agencies are powerless to respond.

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PUMPING IRONY: The DIY Dilemma

By Craig Cox

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.

Two people sit across from each other, one with hands clasped and one holding a clipboard.

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PUMPING IRONY: A Matter of Trust

By Craig Cox

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.

A picture of a barbell and several pills

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PUMPING IRONY: Too Much of a Good Thing?

By Craig Cox

Exercise offers antiaging benefits as does a popular drug. So combining them should boost longevity, right? Not so much.

A sunlight room with a couch, table, and lamp

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PUMPING IRONY: We All Fall Down

By Craig Cox

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.

A picture of a landscape with blue sky and green trees

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PUMPING IRONY: Memories of the Mundane

By Craig Cox

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.

An illustration of a man walking with his head in a dark cloud

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PUMPING IRONY: Ignorance Is Bliss

By Craig Cox

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.

Disembodied hands installing a hidden camera in the ceiling

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PUMPING IRONY: Camera Shy

By Craig Cox

24/7 surveillance may deter abuse in long-term care facilities, but even its advocates admit it’s no panacea.

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PUMPING IRONY: Teacher’s Pet

By Craig Cox

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.

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PUMPING IRONY: A Plethora of Paradoxes

By Craig Cox

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.

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PUMPING IRONY: Mindful of Mortality

By Craig Cox

A casual conversation takes a fatalistic turn, challenging my belief in the infinite moment.

An elderly person looks at a digital tablet.

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PUMPING IRONY: A Coalition of the Confused?

By Craig Cox

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.