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Pumping Irony

PUMPING IRONY: Can Sufficient Steps Delay Dementia?

Fitness experts often stress the need to reach 10,000 steps a day for optimal health, but a new study suggests a more moderate goal may yield surprising cognitive benefits for seniors.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: No Bones About It

Mounting evidence suggests that osteoporosis is more common — and more serious — in older men than previously thought. But a lack of consensus among public health experts has hampered access to necessary screenings.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: A Proliferation of Pills

I’m beginning to understand why seniors tend to take so many medications and why all those drugs can create unforeseeable consequences.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: When the Hospice Is Inhospitable

Hospice facilities can offer a peaceful and caring experience for many people who are facing death, but a new study suggests dementia patients may find them less hospitable than advertised.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: Don’t Worry, Be Happy

While mounting evidence suggests that regular cannabis use may pose some health risks for seniors, the booming industry seems poised to tamp down concerns.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: The Illusory Laws of Longevity

Why does the body age so gradually in some people and fall apart too soon in others? Researchers studying the world’s oldest person offer some clues — and raise more questions.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: A Wake-Up Call?

Sleeplessness can be especially damaging to older adults, and recent research suggests it could even cause cognitive dysfunction. Such studies are almost enough to spoil a good night’s sleep.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: Gut Instincts

I figured a medication-induced microbial mix-up in my gut was causing a puzzling neuropathic condition. My suspicions proved to be correct — sort of.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: The Dubious Dangers of Delayed Dining

Seniors tend to gradually eat their meals later in the day as they grow older, according to a new study that links those changes to a variety of chronic diseases. But is it the diseases that spark the mealtime changes or the mealtime changes that trigger the diseases?
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: When Guidelines Get in the Way

Rigid standards designed to improve the quality of patient care often produce the opposite effect on vulnerable seniors — dangerous overtreatment.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: Healthy Helpfulness

When seniors volunteer their help, whether for a formal organization or a friend in need, they may be reaping some surprising health benefits — as long as they moderate their commitment.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: Lessons Worth Learning

As we grow older, the urge to engage in “lifelong learning” becomes more challenging. But recent research suggests that the effort, despite the discomfort it may produce, could yield real benefits — both cognitive and emotional.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: The Troubling Rise of Suicidal Seniors

While public health organizations have mounted a vigorous campaign to reduce suicides among U.S. teens, a much higher-risk population waits in vain for needed help.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: Out of Tune?

Recent research suggests that older adults who are musically inclined may be insulated from cognitive decline. Where does that leave the rest of us?
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: With Friends Like These . . .

Big Tech is betting that AI-generated companions can cure the “loneliness epidemic” afflicting American seniors. It could make us even lonelier.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: Day of the Dread

It’s not uncommon for people to feel stressed when the workweek resumes, but a new study suggests that even retirees often experience the same “Monday blues” as workers — and face the same health consequences.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: This Is Your Brain on Exercise?

A recent batch of studies on exercise and brain health yields more confusion than clarity.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: Nurses to the Rescue!

Nurse practitioners specializing in geriatric care have stepped up in recent years to offset the steep decline in geriatricians. The American Medical Association has fought them every step of the way.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: A Cup of Confusion

Recent research has cooled the once-hot debate over coffee’s effects on our health and longevity, but questions remain about how much is enough — or too much — and why drinking it black is better.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: The Big Sleep

Napping is a perfectly healthy habit for seniors, except when it’s not.
By Craig Cox

PUMPING IRONY: Fated to Fall?

About one in four American seniors fall each year, often with serious consequences. Recent research may help physicians spot patients more likely to tumble — and increase the chances that they’ll successfully recover.
By Craig Cox
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