Craig Cox
LATEST STORIES
PUMPING IRONY: Parkinson’s: The Next Pandemic?
Cases of the debilitating neurological disease have been surging in recent years and some researchers suggest COVID-19 may accelerate the trend.
PUMPING IRONY: The Medicare Muddle
Navigating the Medicare enrollment process should be easy. It is not.
PUMPING IRONY: Painful Repercussions
Financial stress during middle age can create physical pain in your later years, according to a new study. My own family’s experience suggests healing is possible.
Are You Destined for Diabetes?
Doctors are researching diagnostic markers that might predict the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
PUMPING IRONY: A Deafening Silence
Four years have passed since Congress ordered the FDA to draft guidelines allowing the sale of affordable over-the-counter hearing aids. For the millions of hearing-impaired seniors, the agency’s response speaks volumes.
PUMPING IRONY: Pedaling Through the Next Pandemic
I’m not the only geezer trying to get back in shape after COVID-19 derailed my preferred fitness routine. A renowned British physician warns of a looming “deconditioning pandemic” among the elderly.
PUMPING IRONY: A Perilous Prescription?
Cannabis-based medicine is gaining popularity among seniors coping with chronic pain, anxiety, and other conditions. But the research is sparse and the potential side effects worrisome.
PUMPING IRONY: A Discriminating Virus?
Why has COVID-19 claimed such a disproportionate share of lives in nursing homes with predominantly minority populations? New research suggests it may be a natural consequence of a highly segregated industry.
PUMPING IRONY: Digital Detours on the Road to Vaccination
With computer access and capabilities often standing in the way of elderly Americans trying to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine, a little patience — and perspective — can really come in handy.
PUMPING IRONY: Defying Directives
Advanced directives can help ensure that doctors clearly understand your end-of-life treatment preferences. That doesn’t mean they’ll honor them.
Can Exercise Prevent Vision Loss?
According to a recent study, even moderate exercise can help slow or even prevent vision loss.
PUMPING IRONY: Fending Off Frailty
Recent research suggests we take a more holistic approach to treating frailty among the elderly, focusing more on exercise than pharmaceuticals.
PUMPING IRONY: Not the Retiring Type
Like most of my boomer compatriots, I’m never going to save enough money to fund a work-free retirement. A recent study aims to help future generations avoid that fate.
PUMPING IRONY: A Real Pain
Eight out of 10 American seniors take at least two prescription drugs daily, a fate I’ve been determined to avoid. But a stubborn illness helps me understand why it’s so tempting to reach for pharmaceutical solutions.
PUMPING IRONY: Crisis Competence
The pandemic persists, but evidence is accumulating that the elderly are coping with its challenges much more successfully than you might imagine.
PUMPING IRONY: A Real No-Brainer
Recent research suggests that geezers like me need to get out and socialize more in order to prevent dementia, but common sense — and a surging pandemic — tells me an addled brain is the least of my worries.
PUMPING IRONY: Dying to Know
Wisdom from a palliative-care doctor helps me absorb both the enormous toll of the pandemic and the imminent demise of my brother.
Can You Build Muscle By Strengthening Your Nervous System?
The first step to building muscle might be “bulking up” your nervous system.
PUMPING IRONY: Cashing in on COVID
Driven by the demands of a broken business model, nursing homes opened their doors to coronavirus patients — with predictable results.
PUMPING IRONY: Pilgrimage
An anxious journey to visit my dying brother offers a powerful argument against fleeing from sorrow and pain.
PUMPING IRONY: Keeping Calm and Carrying On
Recent research suggests the elderly are coping more effectively than their younger peers with the emotional challenges of the pandemic. In my case, at least, that may have more to do with conditions and coincidence than acquired wisdom.