Dr. Cheryl Woodson taught and practiced Geriatric Medicine for almost 40 years, raised a family, and navigated her mother's 10-year journey with Alzheimer's disease. She completed her BA at Wesleyan University in CT, MD at the University of Pittsburgh, residency in Internal Medicine at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, and a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at UCLA. She has earned board certifications in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Health Care Quality Management and taught at The University of Chicago Pritker School of Medicine and the Northwestern University Feinburg School of Medicine. She cared for patients and families in several settings including The Woodson Center for Adult Health Care, a community-based, solo-private practice that she founded and directed. The Center was unique in offering sub-specialty-level geriatrics evaluation and treatment along with primary health care services to adults of all ages. Dr. Cheryl finished her medical career in managed care administration where she worked to build bridges between the patient care and business sides of the health industry. She has served on several national eldercare policy committees and consults with community and faith-based organizations in the Chicago area. She was a board member of the RRF Foundation for Aging and now serves on the board of the National Council on Aging. Dr. Cheryl is an award-winning author of TO SURVIVE CAREGIVING, A Daughter's Experience, A Doctor's Advice (1st and 2nd editions), The Doctor is IN: Answering Your Questions About How to Survive Caregiving, and the inspirational title, workbook, and journal, Dear Lauren, Love Mom: 31 Days of Affirmations for My Daughter, for Myself, and for YOU. Under the pseudonym, Tería Robens, she also published What the Mirror Sees, the first of several romance novels about grown women who thought it was too late to believe in true love. In retirement, Dr Cheryl continues to write, speak, and consult to improve the lives of older adults and family caregivers, treat stress and burn-out among health care professionals, encourage women to take better care of themselves, and challenge all adults to LIVE OUT LOUD and AGE EXCELLENTLY.
