Pumping Irony
LATEST STORIES
PUMPING IRONY: A Wardrobe for the Ages
What does fashion mean to the aging male? New research suggests that we don’t give it much thought.
PUMPING IRONY: All Ears
Never one to put too much stock in preventive health measures, I suddenly find myself obsessed with improving my hearing.
PUMPING IRONY: You Must Be Mistaken
Recent research suggests that geezers are less likely than young adults to recognize when they err. This is problematic — except when it’s not.
PUMPING IRONY: I Can’t Hear You
With my hearing aids on the blink, I’ve been forced to navigate by guile and guesswork — with predictable results.
PUMPING IRONY: Requiem for a Handyman
Age and (relative) affluence have cut into my DIY opportunities, a development that has bruised my ego but may keep me out of the hospital.
PUMPING IRONY: A Numbers Game: Alzheimer’s Research
Amid news of a potential breakthrough in Alzheimer’s research, experts bemoan the daunting task of finding enough qualified patients to continue the search for a cure.
PUMPING IRONY: A Sweet Solution
Memory issues are common here in Geezerville, but I’m not sure loading up on sugar is the answer.
PUMPING IRONY: Young at Heart
Feeling younger than your years? It could be a sign of a youthful brain.
PUMPING IRONY: In Search of the Ultimate Lifespan
Recent research suggesting that humans may live much longer than previously thought raises a fundamental question: How long do you really want to live?
PUMPING IRONY: Strength in Numbers
A new study suggests that life in an empty nest may be bad for the brain.
PUMPING IRONY: The Boomerang Effect
An alarming percentage of seniors are shuttled between hospitals and nursing homes and back again, complicating their recovery. And government policies may be making the situation worse.
PUMPING IRONY: Too Good to Be True?
Why we should greet every medical breakthrough with skepticism.
PUMPING IRONY: Floored!
Visits from our grandson force us to get down on the floor — and up again — more spontaneously than we’d prefer, but research tells us that he’s actually doing us a favor.
PUMPING IRONY: Sleepless in Geezerville
An alarming percentage of seniors rely on sedatives to make it through the night, risking serious side effects. Public-health efforts to wean them from the drugs have yielded mixed results.
PUMPING IRONY: Decisions, Decisions
When critical illness strikes, elderly patients often have less control over their treatment options than they would prefer. Recent research — and my own experience — suggests that better communication could create better outcomes.
PUMPING IRONY: Going Rogue
Barbara Ehrenreich’s new book has me marveling at the capricious nature of the dystopian body.
PUMPING IRONY: Easy Does It
At a certain age, ambition can be counterproductive. But how do you stop striving without losing a sense of purpose? An ancient Chinese sage offers a practical path.
PUMPING IRONY: Mind Games
Will simple absent-mindedness soon be classified as pre-Alzheimer’s?
PUMPING IRONY: All the Money’s Gone
Recent research suggests that a personal financial disaster in middle age or later greases the skids to an early grave, but my own experience argues for a more nuanced view.
PUMPING IRONY: The Curse of Convenience
The labor-saving revolution I recall from my post-WWII childhood has morphed into an identity-sapping movement that threatens to strip meaning from our lives. The elderly, however, may be immune to its allure.
PUMPING IRONY: Another Low-Cal Con?
The latest in a series of studies suggesting that cutting calories will extend your lifespan has this geezer heading back to the kitchen for seconds.