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came to us, they were in crisis. So we’re getting patients
a lot earlier. We’re able to
get them on medicines and
keep them functional.”
While the field of geriatrics encompasses numerous
afflictions, dementia is by
far the most common. “As
medical director for two
nursing homes, we see a
lot of dementia including
many different types such
as Alzheimer’s, lewy body
neurology as well as nursing, pharmacy and social work students
all come through. Geriatrics is really an interdisciplinary field. It’s
exciting to be a part of all those things, to see the ebb and flow of
faculty and all they’re interested in,” she said.
Juggling numerous positions and responsibilities, Dr. Furman
attributes her success to the support of her husband, as well as her
parents and in-laws who live nearby. “I have a very supportive family.
Having that support allows me to succeed in finding the balance
between work and home.”
The Furmans have two children, both in high school at North
Oldham. Their son Nathan plays saxophone, and their daughter
Carrie plays clarinet. Both children have some practice with the
piano as well, as Dr. Furman began playing around second grade.
At Christmas, Dr. Furman and her daughter play Christmas songs
for the family.
The family also travels whenever possible, and just
returned from an anniversary trip to Disney World where
both children played in a Disney parade with the North
Oldham Marching Band.
“The kids also got to meet with a Disney composer
and sight read Disney music as the cartoons played on
screen. It was a great trip.”
and vascular. The aging population is growing and as people age, their odds of getting
dementia grow larger,” said
Dr. Furman.
In her spare time, Dr. Furman is also an avid reader
and member of a book club. Recently, she finished “The
Boys in the Boat,” a true story about the American rowing team who visited the Berlin Olympics in 1936 at the
height of Nazi Germany.
Although suffering from
dementia can be a hugely embarrassing or trying time in
an older person’s life, Dr. Furman pointed out that research
has been done pointing to a
greater human connection
between the afflicted and their family. “Dementia is scary but it’s
okay. It makes people slow down. There are books about how if you
can embrace dementia and reframe it, it can be a very joyous time
for families filled with bonding. Some of these couples are amazing.
They’ve been together 50, 60 or 70 years and they’re still able to
connect. You get to see their love and their bond.”
“I rowed crew at the University of Miami, so it was
really interesting reading about these boys. Taking in
Nazi Germany, the great Depression and the technicalities of rowing at such a high level, the book had a lot of
interesting layers,” she said.
The University of Louisville is home to the only geriatrics fellowship in Kentucky, meaning students of a variety of disciplines have
visited to get a better understanding of their elder patients. Since
the program began in 1998, nearly three dozen physicians have
completed the program. Upon her completion, Dr. Furman began
educating the residents and fellows who followed.
“It’s been really fun to be a part of something that has impacted so
many people, so many learners. We’ve had residents from internal
medicine, family medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation,
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LOUISVILLE MEDICINE
Although she’s accomplished a great deal in her time
as a physician, Dr. Furman hopes to continue building
on the success of the U of L geriatrics program and help as many
patients and fellow physicians as possible along the way. She’s come
a long way from the third grader who looked up in wonder at the
physicians taking care of her.
Note: Aaron Burch is the communications specialist for the Greater
Louisville Medical Society.