October 2012 Newsletter
October, the start of fall, when the air starts to change and in most of the country so do the leaves on the trees.  The beautiful colors of this picture bring back childhood memories, reminding us of how our lives change from moment to moment and year to year, prompting us to appreciate what we have.  As you read about how some of our clients who live with a mental illness deal with their day-to-day, you may think about someone you know in your family, a friend or a neighbor who also struggles with mental illness.  We hope you learn a little more about how MonarchCare truly Transforms Lives as we work to bring dignity and hope to our clients. 
How we help
Among the clients of MonarchCare are a number of individuals suffering with various mental illnesses, including depression, schizo-affective disorder and bi-polar disorder. Because these disorders vary widely, our approach to case management is always customized to the individual’s needs and conditions. However, there are several ways we assure consistently focused attention to the needs of everyone.

Most importantly is the establishment of an ongoing relationship between our Care Managers and the client in order to foster and maintain trust. We take as much time as is needed at the start of each case to allay any fears or concerns of the new client. Because of MonarchCare’s strong commitment to provide as much autonomy as possible to our clients, our Care Managers strive to find a balance between independence and safety, enabling each client to become a key collaborator in the management of his or her health care. The establishment of this relationship is directly related to the clients’ compliance with medical care; they must “buy-in” to the benefits that assure their continuing enjoyment of a life of quality.

Additionally, our staff’s productive and close working relationships with providers, such as doctors, pharmacies, home health agencies, facilities and attorneys, help us to provide consistent care coordination for our clients. Without the high quality care each of these professionals provides our clients, we would not be able to successfully Transform Lives as often as we have. Our Care Managers also enjoy their ongoing research and learning related to the diseases and disorders that our clients present.

Lastly, in their direct engagement with each client, our Care Managers play a crucial role in encouraging and supporting our clients in the belief that they can continue to thrive. We are proud of our advocacy role on our clients’ behalf!
How You Can Help
October is also “Trick or Treat” month; candy, goodies and parties pop up toward the end of the month as Oct. 31st rolls around. This Halloween we ask that you consider a treat to MonarchCare by going to our website www.MonarchCare.org and making a donation on behalf of someone you know with mental illness or other cognitive issues. Your support will go to continue our work with our pro bono clients, many of whom suffer with mental illness and often have no one else to turn to for support. Your dollars help bring hope to these individuals through the time our care managers spend seeing to their needs. Thank you for your support!

Did You Know?
National Mental Illness Awareness Week is recognized from October 2 – 8 this year.

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are thought to be caused by a combination of biological, psychological and environmental conditions. Mental illnesses often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible with quality treatment, a supportive environment and often transformative medications. See the National Alliance on Mental Illness website for more information.

Upcoming Event
Look for our upcoming announcement of a “fun” friendraiser in January, 2013. We are also in the planning stage for our March, 2013 Transforming Lives Luncheon. If you are interested in helping on any of our event-planning Task Forces, please contact Christina Levine for more information. CLevine@MonarchCare.org

Employee of the Month
Alan Hooks

The Employee of the Month for August was Alan Hooks, our Senior Care Manager. You may remember Alan from our January 2012 newsletter when you learned about his background and work history. Alan brings so much to MonarchCare, including his Southern charm and sense of devotion to family. Alan recently participated in his church’s production of “100 Years of Broadway”. Several of MonarchCare’s staff attended this wonderful fundraiser and enjoyed listening to Alan’s solo performances. Alan is married to Ana who is originally from Croatia, and who won his heart with her amazing cooking! They have been married for 18 years and have 5 children between them. Alan was a single father for several years and loved having his children’s friends over on Friday nights so he could cook huge breakfasts for them on Saturday mornings. Alan is the “Dad” of MonarchCare as well. He also oversees our Friendly Visitor program; so if you are looking for an opportunity to volunteer, give him a call. We appreciate his service to our clients as our Employee of the Month.

Employee Highlight
Veronica Cabrera

Veronica has been with MonarchCare since April 2012 as our Care Coordinator, providing support services to our Care Management department. She has 10 years of experience in the financial and auto insurance fields as an administrative assistant and supervisor. Veronica enjoys spending time with her family and at her church where she helps in several different areas. Veronica, husband Thomas and daughter Leilani are expecting their second child in November. Veronica will be out on maternity leave until early 2013 and we will await her return as we celebrate her newest addition. “I like being able to help my fellow co-workers help their clients have the best experience possible. We can make a difference every day, so why not start with today?”

Recipe
Veronica’s Spice Cake

Ingredients:
  • 1½ cups cake flour or 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1/3 cup shortening
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ¾ tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 x 2 inches square pan.. Measure all ingredients into large mixing bowl. Blend 1/2 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 3 minutes high speed scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan. .

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on cooling rack. If desired frost cake with your favorite icing or make it into a strawberry shortcake

Your Feedback is Important to us
Tell us what you think!

Your support enables us to continue our work that has
rescued susceotible individuals from financial
exploitation, restored institutionalized persons to
independent lifestyles and reconnected isolated persons
with long-lost family and friends. Thank You!

Knyvett Lee, NCG
MonarchCare Founder, CEO

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