Geriatrics—When life throws you a curve.

“One of the universal things I hear from my patients is that they don’t want to burden anyone.”
—Professor of Medicine Sharon Brangman, MD Department of Medicine, Division of Geriatrics

Scribbled on the pages of Mae’s desk calendar are many keys to the art of healthy aging: her commitments to see family and friends, exercise, watch the Yankees, attend concerts – and keep appointments with Dr. Sharon Brangman, chief of geriatric medicine at University Hospital. The two women hail from different generations, but they see eye-to-eye on aging.

"People who stay engaged with the world around them do much better," reports Dr. Brangman, who has testified before Congress about raising the “silver ceiling” and keeping our elder population active. "If we stop and sit, we focus more on our aches and pains. Rates of depression increase. We contribute less."

Mae, who is 87 and lives at the Oaks in DeWitt, has had plenty of excuses to contribute less. At the age of 80 she was diagnosed with heart disease. That same year, she lost her beloved husband, Irvin, and relocated from Florida to Syracuse, to be near her daughter.

Last year, Mae broke her ribs in a frightening fall and spent a week at University Hospital. Her ribs have healed, but the accident has taken a toll. "Now I stretch and bend around the apartment instead of leading aerobics classes as I used to,"she says, "But my philosophy is to live the life you have, not the life you planned. Life is a series of adjustments, and I think I’m adjusting well."

Mae credits Dr. Brangman with helping her find the balance between activity and safety. "Dr. Brangman always takes the time to sit and talk with me about my medications and my routine."

"As a geriatrician, my focus is not so much on a specific disease, it’s on the big picture and the patient’s day-to-day functioning," explains Dr. Brangman. “I understand the importance of independence. One of the universal things I hear from my patients is that they don’t want to burden anyone.”