Upstate's Sharon Brangman, M.D., to serve as president of the American Geriatrics Society

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Leading geriatrician Sharon Brangman, M.D., a professor of medicine and chief of the division of geriatrics at Upstate Medical University, has been elected president-elect of the American Geriatrics Society. Her term as president of the society will begin in 2010.

Brangman, professor and division chief of geriatrics at SUNY Upstate, serves as director of Central New York Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center and has held various medical positions with area nursing homes, including James Square Health and Rehabilitation Center and Greenpoint/The Hearth Senior Living Communities. She joined the Upstate faculty in 1989.

Brangman is a sought-after presenter on Alzheimer's disease, especially new advances in treatment, and on cultural issues in healthcare for older adults. She has been instrumental in providing first-year medical students with opportunities to interact with older adults through programming that helps to bridge the generation gap and broaden the understanding of the health issues of older adults. She is widely quoted in the media on issues related to the elderly.

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (www.americangeriatrics.org) is a nationwide association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of all older people. With an active membership of over 6,500 health care professionals, the society helps shape attitudes, policies, and practices in geriatric medicine.

Brangman lives in DeWitt.