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a bowl of prunes

PUMPING IRONY: In Praise of the Prune

By Craig Cox

The digestive benefits of prunes are well documented, but recent research suggests they may also help postmenopausal women maintain healthier bones — if they eat enough of them.

a senior man dumps pills from a pill bottle into his hand

PUMPING IRONY: Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out

By Craig Cox

Despite our checkered history with recreational drugs, boomers typically aren’t screened for substance abuse when we visit a doctor. Meanwhile, thousands are dying of overdoses.

a person holds a cut out head with a puzzle piece missing from the center in one hand with the missing piece in the other hand

PUMPING IRONY: Alzheimer’s Research: Hope or Hype?

By Craig Cox

While the Medicare set awaits a final decision on coverage for Biogen’s controversial Alzheimer’s drug, a new study suggests seniors may get the same benefits from regular exercise. Both approaches, however, raise more questions than they answer.

a senior man with silver hair and a beard enjoys a walk alongside a river

Can Taking a Walk Help the Aging Brain?

By Craig Cox

Regular walks can help improve the brain’s white matter, according to a recent study.

a senior man sits concernedly in front of his computer with hands folded

PUMPING IRONY: High Anxiety

By Craig Cox

Our toxic political climate is contributing to widespread mental-health issues, conditions seniors struggle to overcome because of Medicare’s limited coverage options.

elderly male hands rest on top of a wooden cane

PUMPING IRONY: Going Slow

By Craig Cox

As scientists struggle to create treatment protocols for those coping with long COVID, a new study suggests they shouldn’t ignore long-term mobility issues many seniors face after even a mild case of the virus.

a woman holds a green dumbbell

PUMPING IRONY: Dying to Lose Weight

By Craig Cox

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.

a person carries a box of donations

PUMPING IRONY: Emotional Baggage

By Craig Cox

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.

a woman sits in a chair in an assisted living apartment

PUMPING IRONY: Vanishing Act

By Craig Cox

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.

a woman holds her hands over an elderly person's heart

How Super-Agers Avoid Dementia

By Craig Cox

Genes play a role, but so do lifestyle factors, according to a recent study of centenarians.

a toothbrush sits on a dollar bill

PUMPING IRONY: Toothless

By Craig Cox

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.

a person puts a cup into a full dishwasher

PUMPING IRONY: Healthy Housework

By Craig Cox

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

a video camera installed above a living room

PUMPING IRONY: Surveillance State

By Craig Cox

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?

a person holds a mobile phone with healthcare features

Can COVID Cure Our Ailing Healthcare System?

By Craig Cox

The pandemic may have a silver lining, according to a recent study: increased in-home-care options and “high-value” medical treatments.

a dollar bill with colorful pills arranged on top

PUMPING IRONY: Prescription for Disaster?

By Craig Cox

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.

fill in the blank like with a pencil made into an exclamation point at the end

PUMPING IRONY: A Man Without a Plan

By Craig Cox

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.

a woman stretches using a large stability ball

How Exercise Can Give You a Sense of Purpose — and Vice-Versa

By Craig Cox

A recent study explores the reciprocal relationship between exercise and purpose.

a man with a gray beard and hair paints a refinished dresser

PUMPING IRONY: Help for the Helpful

By Craig Cox

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.

a woman meditates on her bed

PUMPING IRONY: Medicate or Meditate?

By Craig Cox

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.

a doctor buts a bandaid on an arm

PUMPING IRONY: A Kind of Reckoning

By Craig Cox

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.

a senior aged couple shops for produce at a farmers market

For the Aging Gut, Change is Good

By Craig Cox

As we age, our microbiomes change — and that might be a good thing. Here’s why.

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