Pumping Irony

A new survey suggests that dieting for weight loss remains the preferred approach among women who are displeased with their bodies, even as evidence mounts that cutting calories — especially for older women — may do more harm than good.

Determined to begin culling nearly a half-century of accumulated stuff in our basement, I encounter some fraught emotions and conflicting priorities — and a little holiday magic.

Top-rated nursing homes are often cited for serious health and safety violations that put their residents at risk. But a rigged appeals process keeps those infractions hidden from the public.

Regular dental care is key to overall well-being as we age, but Medicare doesn’t provide coverage. The American Dental Association is fighting tooth and nail to keep it that way.

Recent research suggests that my regular efforts to tidy up the house may help my aging brain and body function more smoothly.

Surveillance technologies can make it easier for the elderly to age in place, but will it mean we’ll see our kids even less often than we do now?

The approval of a controversial Alzheimer’s drug has triggered a major increase in monthly Medicare premiums — and fresh concerns about the program’s solvency. I’m hoping it also sparks some new thinking about prescription-drug pricing.

I’ve been putting off drafting a healthcare directive for no better reason than my general aversion to planning. Some palliative-care experts — and plenty of horrific tales — have now delivered some excellent reasons to avoid it altogether.

Recent research suggests older folks can be quick to assist others while neglecting their own well-being. The solution may involve learning the difference between being nice and being kind.

While Alzheimer’s patients wait to see if Biogen’s new drug will someday prove effective — and affordable — researchers continue to make a case for the healing powers of meditation.

Age, the pandemic, and the looming flu season have persuaded me to engage with our broken healthcare system after ignoring its offerings for the past 20 years. First impressions have not been favorable.

Millions of elderly Americans land in the hospital each year after taking a tumble. So why are doctors continuing to prescribe drugs that increase that risk?

While the benefits of cultivating strong relationships are well known, we often overlook the value of the brief random social interactions that really make our day.

Social Security beneficiaries will be getting a hefty cost-of-living raise next year, which may temporarily ease their anxiety over a new report warning of the program’s fast-approaching insolvency.

With the White House pushing Congress to allow the government to negotiate drug pricing, Big Pharma wonders, Where’s the love?

Recent research suggests that postponing my retirement might be good for my aging brain.

A fraught battle with our 4-year-old grandson over screen time has forced Grandma and Grandpa to admit that his customary weekly visits may now hold less allure for him — and us — than they once did.

For reasons both political and pecuniary, attempts to expand Medicare benefits have always been a tough sell, despite the rising demands of an aging population. As Congress prepares to give it another shot, I’m hedging my bets.

At a time when impaired vision among the senior set is beginning to alarm some public-health experts, a surprising change in my own eyesight has me scrambling to get a better view of things.

Raging wildfires and other sources of airborne pollution are threatening more than our respiratory and circulatory systems. New research is strengthening the link between air quality and dementia.

Concerned that they may be called upon to provide full-time caregiving someday if a late-life romance leads to cohabitating, many older couples are choosing to follow their hearts — while maintaining separate residences.