Pumping Irony
LATEST STORIES
PUMPING IRONY: The Primacy of Pain
As the opioid epidemic overtakes the senior set, I’m reminded of how serious pain can overrule any internal debate over the pros and cons of painkillers.
PUMPING IRONY: Does Bliss Require Obliviousness?
A new study may explain why geezers tend to be happier than their youthful peers, but it seems that joy can come with a cost.
PUMPING IRONY: The Upside of Alzheimer’s?
While in no way diminishing the devastation dementia exacts on its victims and those who care for them, visionary experts are forging a new treatment path — one that may yield surprising benefits.
PUMPING IRONY: Is There a Doctor in the House?
A dwindling supply of geriatricians offers few options for elderly patients who are often ill served by physicians who are not trained to treat them.
PUMPING IRONY: Mixed Messages
Bummed out by my painful recovery from an overambitious workout, I find myself slightly perplexed by a new study suggesting that exercise eases depression.
PUMPING IRONY: Wake Me When It’s Over
With winter delivering a series of knockout blows, my interest in hibernation gets a boost from an unexpected source.
PUMPING IRONY: A Helping Hand
I haven’t yet reached the point where my eroding capabilities are threatening independent living, but it’s good to know there may be help on the way — eventually.
PUMPING IRONY: Driven to Distraction
A royal collision sparked renewed debate over elderly drivers and public safety, but I understand completely why geezers refuse to give up their keys.
PUMPING IRONY: Invasion of the Robots
With the aging population far outpacing the resources of caregivers, robotics seems to be a plausible solution — until you consider the consequences.
PUMPING IRONY: A Good Death?
New research suggests that killing off neurons in our aging brains might prevent, rather than invite, Alzheimer’s. Personal experience suggests it may be more complicated than that.
PUMPING IRONY: Hope, Reconsidered
The older I get, the more I find myself focusing on what is rather than what may be.
PUMPING IRONY: An Empty-Nest Holiday
When our adult daughter vetoed a longtime Christmas Eve tradition, we were forced to acknowledge all the other ways we can celebrate the season.
PUMPING IRONY: Don’t Get Out Much Anymore
New research suggests my reluctance to venture out to cultural events may make me prone to depression.
PUMPING IRONY: Attention, Please
Recent research aims to explain why the aging brain is more distractible.
PUMPING IRONY: In the Dark About Sleeplessness
I may not be the best person to suggest that light pollution is keeping seniors awake.
PUMPING IRONY: Problematic Pills
Hospitals are commonly sending their elderly patients home with prescription drugs that do more harm than good.
PUMPING IRONY: Prepared for the Worst
Geezers are particularly liable to imagine catastrophe whenever some ailment arises, but research suggests that accepting these conditions with equanimity can actually enhance our well-being.
PUMPING IRONY: Calm Down and Carry On
The Medical-Pharmaceutical Complex has been elevating my blood pressure for years by trying to convince me that the systolic readings produced in my doctor’s office matter. New research renders that argument moot.
PUMPING IRONY: Make Your Medicine
A nascent movement of “biohackers” aims to challenge Big Pharma by empowering patients to synthesize their own medications and assemble their own medical devices. I’m not the only one who’s cautiously pessimistic.
PUMPING IRONY: The Upside of Old Age
When one is seeking contentment, aging might be the solution rather than the problem.