SBR Wellness Roundup talk: Slips, Trips, and Falls…and how to prevent them

Linda Shannon-Hills

Join us on Tuesday, February 13 at 4:00 p.m. in La Mesa Room. The SBR Wellness Roundup speaker for February is SBR resident, Maudra McLauglin. Her talk is titled “Slips, Trips and Falls…and how to prevent them.” Her talk will be 45 minutes, followed by a Q&A. The talk will emphasize the most common types of falls, consequences and strategies to avoid them. She will pass out a home checklist.

One out of three seniors will fall this year, but fewer than half of them will talk with their doctors about it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls are also the number one cause of injuries in seniors, resulting in hip fractures, cuts and even serious head and brain injuries that can be fatal. Even when there’s no serious injury, a fall can still be so frightening that seniors may avoid certain activities because they’re afraid they’ll fall again.

Whether it’s slippery floors, rickety stairs or electrical cords, some of the most common causes of falls are in the home (where you might have a false sense of security).

Come learn about ways to protect yourself, your spouse and help your parents to be safer in their homes.

Maudra D. McLaughlin

Maudra D. McLaughlin, RN, BSN graduated from the University of Arizona College of Nursing February 14, 1976. She grew up in Sierra Vista, AZ. After receiving her degree, she was one of six hired by UMC to complete a three-month training program in the separate intensive care units and the emergency department. Upon completion of the certification program she chose emergency medicine. In January of 1979, she and her computer software engineer husband moved to San Jose, CA, the center of the upcoming Silicone Valley. The thought that within three to five years, IBM would be fully up and running in Tucson, and they were looking forward to a return to Tucson. The plan didn’t happen, but they retired in 2013 and returned to the desert.

Maudra stayed in emergency medicine for ten years. After Ralph and Maudra had two sons, she decided she’d had enough of weekends, holidays and evening shifts, and so transferred to one of the Kaiser clinics five miles from home. She worked all departments. Her most unique experience was volunteering with the San Francisco/San Jose branches that culminated in being the team leader for five three-member roving fanny-pack units for the 1989 San Francisco Giants playoff games, and then for the first World Series game at Candlestick Park.

At 5:01 p.m. during the World Series, the earthquake hit. Unable to get to San Jose that night, she opened the Moscone shelter that housed 400. Ultimately this experience offered her the chance to develop disaster programs for her son’s elementary school program, the federal-mandated development of Community Health Center disaster programs, and be a liaison for the County EMS disaster program. At the conclusion of the three-year grant program she decided to retire and finally move back to the Tucson area after 35 years.