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PUMPING IRONY: Vision Quest
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.
PUMPING IRONY: Foul Air, Faulty Brain
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.
PUMPING IRONY: Your Place or Mine?
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.
PUMPING IRONY: I’m All Ears
With my hearing aids on the fritz, I suddenly find myself rooting for scientists seeking a way to genetically manipulate the malfunctioning human ear.
A Prescription for Action
The “deprescribing” movement faces various obstacles as advocates seek to gain some influence amid our drug-happy healthcare system, not the least of which is simply getting your doctor’s attention.
PUMPING IRONY: The Color of Worry, the Color of Calm
If stress can lead to graying hair, can periods of calm reverse the process? Recent research suggests it may have that effect, though my graying locks are probably beyond help.
Aligning for Change
Education’s role in shaping the future of the planet.
PUMPING IRONY: Born to Run?
Late-blooming runners are routinely beating veteran racers at the national level, raising questions about the toll decades of training exact on the body — and why we choose to run (or not) in the first place.
PUMPING IRONY: New Hope, Selectively Dispensed
The controversy surrounding the FDA’s approval of the first new Alzheimer’s drug in nearly two decades will do little to temper demand by desperate patients and their caregivers. It may also exacerbate racial disparities among those vying for the treatment.
PUMPING IRONY: Back to the Future
Emerging from social isolation, I’m discovering the importance of patience and empathy while gradually reconnecting to friends, family, and an eerily familiar postpandemic world.
PUMPING IRONY: The COVID Effect
The pandemic has persuaded the U.S. healthcare industry to reimagine some aspects of its operations in ways that may yield significant benefits for the elderly. Will those revelations survive a return to normalcy?
Taking It All In
A reminder about being present, courtesy of a phone-free trip to the Grand Canyon.
Seeking Balance
The intentional practice of exploring all sides of a situation can bring about a more centered perspective — and a better quality of life.
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: A “Perfect” Prescription for Growing Old
Memories of a former colleague — and recent research — remind me that an upbeat view of aging may pay healthy dividends well into our later years.
What’s in a Word?
The language we use — about aging, eating, and much more — can have a significant effect on our enjoyment of these experiences.
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.
COMING CLEAN: The Unlikely Activist
Our managing editor talks about how activism has helped — and challenged — her mental health.
PUMPING IRONY: A Long-Term Rehab Project
COVID has drawn fresh attention to our broken long-term-care system, sparking some ambitious government initiatives. But recent research suggests there’s much more work to be done.