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Brangman serves as chief of the Division of Geriatrics at SUNY Upstate University, specializing in medicine for the aging, and is currently the president of the American Geriatric Association. She also serves as fellowship director for geriatric medicine at Upstate and director of the Central New York Alzheimer’s Disease Assistance Center. The busy doctor is also an attending physician at James Square Health and Rehabilitation Center and is medical director of Greenpoint/The Hearth Senior Living Communities in Syracuse.
Asked about the state of medical care for our aging citizenry, she has a lot to say, and anyone hoping to age comfortably had better take heed. “We need a new model of retirement in this country,” said Brangman, speaking in her third-floor office at the edge of Interstate 81 in the Regional Oncology Center just west of University Hospital. “We have millions of competent and productive people in this country and for some reason we’ve gotten the idea that the best thing they can do is to play bingo. That idea needs to change.”
The average age of her patients is 78, and most of them are at home and eager to remain there. Her job, as she sees it, is to help all of us “age successfully.”
SUNY Upstate has created an endowed chair in geriatrics in her name in order to attract a geriatric specialist to teach at the hospital’s medical school. Brangman is happy to lend her name to what has become her passion—teaching health care providers and the public about the needs of an aging population.
“Not all doctors who treat older people are geriatricians,” she pointed out. “I always say that the best geriatric care begins with good pre-natal care. Older patients see neurologists, cardiologists, orthopedic doctors, a whole range of providers, and physicians in all these specialties need to know how to help people age successfully.”
Part of the problem has to do with health insurance, said Brangman. Insurance reimburses providers for procedures and not for patient care. “Our patients are complex,” she said. “What we do is really monitor and manage a patient’s care. This takes a lot of time, a lot of coordination with family, and a lot of coordination with other providers. We refer patients to other providers for services, and the reimbursement is for those services.” The result? “There are no geriatricians in private practice in Syracuse.”
The recent reforms in health insurance are a mixed blessing for the elderly, according to Brangman. “There are some improvements in Medicare Part B, such as closing the doughnut hole on prescription drug reimbursements, but the cuts in Medicare reimbursement that are coming will have a negative effect.”
Brangman was born in Syracuse, attended Nottingham High School, Syracuse University, and SUNY Upstate Medical University, where she graduated in 1973. She worked for years at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx before coming back to Syracuse in 1989. Like a lot of young professionals who move away, she was drawn back home when her children were young. She and her husband now live in DeWitt and their two children are grown.
“Sharon has always been the most generous colleague,” said Dr. Sandra Lane, a public health researcher who holds a joint appointment at the SU College of Human Ecology and the medical school. “Just last week I asked her if she would work with one of my students as a mentor, and 15 minutes later she sent an e-mail back saying yes. She was raised in the community and has always been very supportive of students, very involved in a lot of things.”
The sponsor of the banquet, 100 Black Men of Syracuse Inc., is a non-profit, nonpartisan volunteer organization founded in 2007. The group was inducted in June 2009 as an official chapter of 100 Black Men of America Inc. The primary focus is mentoring local male students. The group has started mentoring programs at Fowler High School, Blodgett Elementary School and Percy Hughes Magnet School, as well as its own “Manhood Training Academy.” Members of the organization also support a variety of other community initiatives, including the Eradication Squad Precision Drill Team, SAT preparatory classes and other education, health and wellness and economic development programs.
“I have always admired the work they do from a distance,” said Brangman, “and this is my chance to get to know them a little better.”
Other honorees at this year’s dinner include Dr. Saundra Barnett-Reyes, a psychiatrist in private practice, Dr. Ruben Cowart, founder and longtime director of the Syracuse Community Health Center, and Dr. Sylvia W. Norton, founder of the Syracuse-based West African Eye Foundation.
Banquet tickets are $50 person in advance. Call 443-8749, e-mail 100bkmsyr@gmail.com or visit 100blackmensyr.org.
—Ed Griffin-Nolan
Jonesin’ for Indies
Keyboardist and vocalist Ashley Cox, guitarist Shawn Sullivan and drummer Evan Figiel are friendly, charming, funny and massively talented. As a trio, the Professional Victims create an impressively big sound, with tight rhythms backing careful guitar work and driving keyboards.
They have a lot to be excited about with a new album due out around the end of the year and a show at The Westcott Theater, 524 Westcott St., on Wednesday, Nov. 24, with four other Syracuse-based bands, all of which they selected for the bill. But rather than focus on themselves, the trio lit up most when talking about the importance of the show.
“We know that all the bands playing that night rock,” said Cox. “We picked and booked the bands to build a show where no matter what time someone comes in, they’re going to see some great music.”
The indie rock showcase will feature Milking Diamonds, Phantom Chemistry, Counterpursuit, Gracious Sakes Alive and Professional Victims, showing off some of the best talent Syracuse has to offer. For Professional Victims, it’s also a chance to share a stage with other musicians they respect, enjoy and feel compatible with.
“We’re picky about who we play with,” said Sullivan. “We’ve had offers to open for big bands, but if they’re not the right kind of music, we don’t do it.” It’s one of the challenges the band faces with its music, as it walks an indefinite line of “not indie enough, but not rock enough,” to really fall on either side of the fence. However, this challenging balance of harder rock and lighter themes also allows Professional Victims to cross boundaries and appeal to a variety of audiences.
The band released their first album, Penalties & Punishment (Label Smabel), in June 2009 and has been touring, writing and recording their next album ever since. Still, they’ve hit some significant speed bumps along the way; like when their former drummer Corey Koniz left during a week of five booked shows. “We didn’t know what we were going to do,” said Sullivan. “But it also led us to Evan. So it worked out for the best.”
After losing their drummer, Sullivan and Cox traveled to Buffalo to play a showcase at Club Diablo where several other acts were scheduled to perform. However, upon arriving, there was only one other Syracuse band still left on the bill. The group, Wishpool, had an excellent drummer: Evan Figiel.
“After that, Evan came over, auditioned, among many others that tried, and was hired,” said Cox. “He learned 34 songs in a week for a headlining showcase we had in New York City at The Bitter End where Lady GaGa, Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, you name it, have played.”
Figiel instantly clicked musically and as a friend with Sullivan and Cox (who are married) and the three seem to connect seamlessly on stage and off. Cox is brighteyed, bubbly, bursting with energy and literally bounces around much of the time.
Sullivan is quiet and funny in his own, more subtle ways, offering interjections and dry humor to contrast Cox’s outgoing and lively personality. He fits the indie guitarist look, reminiscent of a member of Kings of Leon or The Killers.
Figiel may be introverted by nature, but his fiercely sharp sense of humor allows him to slip right into the jokes between Sullivan and Cox. His boyish face also gets him carded at restaurants while Cox gets recognized as “the singer of that band,” by waitresses. “She always gets recognized,” moaned Sullivan. “Always her.”
But with Cox’s background, recognitions are to be expected. “I had a grandma and grandpa Musick,” she explained. “Literally, their name was Musick.”
Her father, Jimmy Cox, a local legend, also influenced her heavily as a child. “All the time it was, ‘Where’s Dad?’ He had to go out and play,” said Cox. “It sounded like so much fun.” So she pursued music herself and learned how to play almost any instrument. She began on piano, but moved to the more mobile guitar, which she used to write songs that came naturally to her. “If you get your heart broken enough, songs are cake,” she said.
Cox had a successful solo career for more than 10 years before a record deal fell through and she was left to figure out a new way. After meeting Sullivan, things began to click and today, things are moving faster than ever. After the show at the Westcott, the band plans to finish their album and prepare for the South by Southwest music festival scheduled for March 10-20, 2011 in Austin, Texas. “Doing everything yourself is hard,” said Sullivan. “But we’re doing it.”
As they prepare for the Westcott showcase, album recording and looming promotional responsibilities that accompany a new release, Professional Victims also prove their optimism, determination and staying power. “We just want to keep playing music and stay in love,” said Cox. “We’ll never stop. We might change, but we’ll never stop.”
Doors open at 7 p.m. for the indie rock showcase, with the show starting at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $10 and are available at www. thewestcotttheater.com and at Sound Garden, 310 W. Jefferson St.
—Jessica Novak
Dome Dogs
Compared to recent years, this has been a magical season for the Syracuse University football team. The Orange is assured its first winning season since 2001, and SU is going to play in its first bowl game since 2004.
But if you’ve only been able to watch SU at the Carrier Dome this season, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. The Orange continued a puzzling trend Nov. 20, when the University of Connecticut Huskies sank SU 23-6 before 41,465 fans, the largest crowd of the season at the Dome.
It was SU’s third Big East Conference loss—all at home. The Orange’s four conference wins were all on the road: at South Florida, at then-No. 20 West Virginia, at two-time defending Big East champion Cincinnati, and at Rutgers.
In fact, SU’s only home wins this season are against Maine and Colgate, and they’re Football Championship Subdivision teams. That means they don’t play with the big boys in the Football Bowl Subdivision. So any thoughts on why the Orange is struggling on its home turf? “I can’t think of anything,” senior running back Delone Carter said. “I feel like we need to take a stand and look to each other.”
Following the UConn game, SU coach Doug Marrone said what he says after every loss: The Orange did not execute its game plan. Nothing more, nothing less. “It’s a lack of execution at home, really,” Marrone said. “The focus and level of play in the week of practice {prior to the home games} has been good all year. When we get on that field the level of intensity is the same, we just don’t execute.”
When pressed further, Marrone didn’t elaborate. “I’m proud of this football team because we’ve been very consistent on how we prepare for each game,” he said. “We’ve had good practices. You can ask the players; we’re not an up-and-down practice team, we practice hard. We just haven’t executed.”
Turnovers, penalties and an ineffective offense plagued the Orange against UConn (6-4, 3-2 in the Big East), which became bowl eligible and still has a shot to win the Big East title.
With the Huskies leading 10-3 in the third quarter, the momentum appeared to shift in SU’s favor after the Orange’s Brandon Sharpe forced a fumble on a punt return and Derrell Smith landed on the ball at the UConn 31. SU didn’t score a touchdown, but Ross Krautman booted his second field goal, a 35-yarder, to slice UConn’s lead to 10-6 and get the crowd back into the game.
The Orange defense forced a punt, and SU started its next possession on its own 9. After two runs, the Orange faced a thirdand-4 from its own 15. The next play—and the 10 plays after that—decided the game and drove home Marrone’s point about lack of execution.
SU quarterback Ryan Nassib dropped back to pass and was sacked by defensive end Kendall Reyes, whose interception in the second quarter set up UConn’s first field goal. Nassib lost the ball, and Huskies end Trevardo Williams recovered at the Syracuse 4-yard line.
“It was a big mistake on my part and it really was the turning point of our game,” Nassib said. “I was just trying to make a play, but when you’re in that situation a smart quarterback tries to hold on to the ball and tries not to do too much.”
After an offside penalty on SU’s defense, UConn running back Jordan Todman scored on a 2-yard plunge for his second touchdown of the game. Todman, the nation’s second leading rusher, carried 27 times for 130 yards against the Orange.
Except for a 10-yard completion from Nassib to Marcus Sales, SU’s next offensive series was a comedy of errors: a holding penalty; a dropped pass; offensive line breakdowns and three incomplete passes, including one near interception; and a 14yard punt from normally reliable punter Rob Long. That punt—the 11th play of the 11-play debacle—set up UConn kicker Dave Teggart’s second 35-yard field goal that gave the Huskies a 20-6 lead.
“Our players fought hard. I told the kids afterwards to keep their heads up,” Marrone said. “We didn’t make plays. We have to find a way to make plays on offense and score points. We have to get ready, come back and finish strong here at home.”
Although SU is finished with its Big East schedule, the Orange (7-4, 4-3) does have one more chance to impress the home crowd. SU will face former Big East rival Boston College (6-5, 4-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference) at noon Saturday at the Dome; the game will be televised by either ESPN or ESPN2.
It’s SU’s final game until the bowl game, which will likely be in late December. The Orange has 26 seniors who will be playing in their final home game. “You always want to go out with a win,” Orange senior defensive tackle Andrew Lewis said. “I am sure that is on every senior’s mind and the whole team’s mind, you want to go out with a win.”
Extra Points: Carter, who gained 67 yards on 19 carries, pushed his season total to 1,005 yards for his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. Carter also passed James Mungro and moved into fourth place on SU’s all-time rushing list with 2,876 yards.
Krautman has connected on 12 consecutive field-goal attempts, and his 17 field goals this season are tied for second on the Orange’s all-time list.
SU fans can vote, once a day, for Marrone as the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year at www.coachoftheyear.com. The award will honor a coach who demonstrates responsibility and excellence on and off the field, and the fan votes will help determine the finalists who will be announced Dec. 13.
—Matt Michael
