Learn more about the ARRM Cares Award nominees from MORA!
ARRM CARES FINALIST
Mryna Mussenden – Program Coordinator at Westgate
ARRM CARES
The ARRM Cares Award was established to recognize professionals who provide direct care and demonstrate a commitment to quality services.
All nominees are recognized and six winners are selected each year who represent outstanding and extraordinary dedication, innovation, and skill.
Myrna’s Nomination Essay
Professional Integrity
Myrna understands the ladies so well that she knows when they are sick just by observing how they act. For instance, Myrna called the doctor asking if she should bring one person in to the clinic and the doctor didn’t think it was necessary because they don’t seem to have any symptoms related to what Myrna was suspecting. Myrna brought the person into urgent care despite the doctor’s recommendation. Sure enough, they were sick and due to Myrna’s observation and knowing them for so many years, they were able to be treated quickly and sent home. It is moments like these that drive Myrna to continue her high level of care, ensuring that the ladies at the Westgate home receive a high standard of care.
Networking Supports
Myrna has created and developed an immense relationship with the individuals in the home. All four clients are nonverbal and with Myrna’s time with everyone she has learned their communication styles without the use of communication devices. Considering being single staffed a majority of the time, Myrna has made great efforts to get the individuals out into the community. Myrna has created relationships with two volunteers who have taken the ladies on walks at the mall, walks on nature trails, and they come to the house to do arts and crafts, and much more. Myrna has made it possible for the ladies to have a Music Therapist come to their home once a week. They enjoy all types of instruments and singing. Through her years of working at this home, Myrna has maintained a bond with the guardians and siblings of these individuals and has earned so much trust, love, and support from them.
Creative, Innovative, Person-Centered Approach to Services
Myrna brings positive energy and a playful work ethic to the home. You can see smiles and laughter everywhere. Myrna knows the ladies love for church. She facilitates Pastor Don coming to the house as well as bringing the ladies to church on Sundays. One of the individuals enjoys playing musical instruments and Myrna has found ways to make it possible for them to do this. At times Myrna will lay one individual on her mat and put her guitar next to her. She will strum the guitar, giggle, and laugh the whole time. Other times, the individual will be in her wheelchair and run her fingers through chimes while sitting by the window. Myrna is incredibly creative too. Recently she brought in gems to make a project. One individual with physical guidance from Myrna, was able to create a suncatcher that dangles and captures the sunlight with the gems. One person kept reaching for the suncatcher while laughing, she had the biggest smile on her face.
MORA nominees for 2024 ARRM Cares Awards
Ethan Pew
Ethan Pew, DSP at Victoria Home
Ethan’s Nomination Essay
Ethan is an incredible asset to the Victoria house team as well as Mount Olivet Rolling Acres (MORA) as an organization. Ethan sets a high standard for other DSP’s as he is always working to keep the home in good repair and the clients engaged and happy. Ethan was first full time in the maintenance department and subbing as a DSP in several homes. While in the maintenance department Ethan completed tasks at the homes to a high level, ensuring that the individual’s homes were well kept, a place they can be proud to live in. It is within the last year that Ethan transitioned over to a full time DSP at the home, doing what he enjoys. Ethan applied and was chosen to be a part of the 2024 MORA Leadership Development Program which enhances growth, knowledge, and job skills through internal and external trainings. Ethan is actively engaged in discussions at trainings and is meeting all requirements at this time for graduation later in the year.
Ethan knows everyone he supports, their likes/dislikes, needs, and wants. If someone has an activity in the community they would like to do, Ethan helps ensure they will be able to participate. Recently, Ethan helped get everyone to ARRM’s Disability Day at the capital so they could participate and have their voices heard. Many of the individuals living at the Victoria home are connected to organizations in their community. Ethan does a great job ensuring that those natural supports are fostered through helping clients communicate and make plans with those individuals.
Ethan offers person centered choices at home for activities and helps plan and facilitate activities in the community. If he is working and someone would like to join an activity they have never done before, he makes it so they can get there and enjoy it. Ethan takes the time to research opportunities in the community the individuals may like and provides them information so they can make an informed choice. Ethan has helped
make it possible for the individuals to make it to their Special Olympic practices as well as their tournaments. He makes it a priority to pick up open shifts so the individuals at the home can attend their activities they want to participate in too. It’s clear to the team, and the individuals how much he cares for each one and makes sure he does his part ensuring the quality of care is at its highest standards
Lauren Sanders
Lauren Sanders, Program Coordinator at Sherwood Home
Lauren’s Nomination Essay
Lauren began her journey at MORA four years ago as a Direct Support Professional (DSP). Upon hire, Lauren was selected for MORA’s Leadership Development Program and flourished to become the leader she is today. She moved into a DSPIII Medical Specialist roll at the Northgate location and then moved into the Program Coordinator (PC) position at the home. In 2023 she moved into a new role as the PC for MORA’s adult mental health site. Lauren does an excellent job communicating with individuals at the home. She is sympathetic, patient and a strong advocate for the people she serves. Lauren continually works on her professional development, doesn’t shy away from hard work, and supports others on the team. Lauren works with the house nurse, supervisor, and medical providers to make sure that the people served are well taken care of. She spends a great deal of time developing menus with healthy food choices. Lauren contributes to the people MORA serves by contributing ideas for services, taking part in their meetings, and offering ideas for goals. Recently, Lauren even took it upon herself to get someone a free cell phone through a government program.
Lauren recognizes the importance of people maintaining meaningful relationships. One of the individuals she supports recently had a big change in their life when their significant other was no longer able to drive to see them. Lauren worked with the parties involved to plan trips to bring the person to see them. Lauren is also mindful of communication with guardians and families of people served. She works hard to communicate
regularly and encourage family involvement. During her time at our mental health site, she has worked with community partners and teams to set up transportation, volunteer opportunities, and found ways to get an individual to an activity group that they hadn’t attended in quite some time.
When there is an event that is important to the people MORA serves, Lauren Sanders is sure to be there. She worked hard to develop Person-Centered tools to help support the individuals served at Northgate. She has done a wonderful job of taking the tools she was given in the Leadership Development Program and use them to their full potential. She worked hard to get the people at Northgate out into the community with a wide variety of activities. She takes time to get to know the people she serves and is an expert in what makes their lives meaningful. Lauren is a part of the person-centered committee at MORA where she contributes to the person-centered needs of the entire organization. We are lucky to have her on our team and the individuals we serve would say the same!
Jessica Vinkemeier
Jessica Vinkemeier, Program Coordinator at Waconia home
Jessica’s Nomination Essay
In 2023 Jessica participated in and graduated from the MORA Leadership Development Program. Jessica had exemplary attendance, asked many questions and was a leader during classes by creating discussion. At the end of the program, Jessica approached a member of MORA’s training department to ask if she can help with training. She said that she wants to help all staff find the joy in this career and promote the positivity that the training team is trying to generate and maintain. Jessica jumped feet first into learning the material and is now an alternate trainer on person centered training during new hire orientation. By currently working in the homes, Jessica’s view is respected by others, and she does a great job of getting her message across to other staff.
In her role as Program Coordinator, Jessica is always working to assist the individuals served in being connected with their community, family, and friends. One of these individuals, has suffered personal loss and increased anxiety. They don’t see their family as often as they used to either. Jessica has helped them buy an iPad so they could connect with family and friends more often and whenever they desired. Jessica has worked closely with their IDT team and house staff to assist them in reaching out to these important relationships on Facebook, personal email and using Facetime. Jessica takes the individual shopping for holiday and special occasion cards so they can send loved ones a card that they personalize with a picture they drew. Not only have these things helped the individual foster meaningful relationships, but it has helped them when they are feeling anxious.
Jessica constantly searches for enjoyable activities and coordinates with staff to make these things happen for the individuals served. She’s wonderful at balancing things that aren’t only good for the individuals but also fun. There is a client who doesn’t like to exercise and generally likes to sit in his recliner. His doctor wants him to get in some movement aside from his PT stretches to keep him healthy. Jessica is playful and jokes with him in ways to get him out of his chair. He loves the Ace of spades and calls it ‘Biggie’. Jessica will pick up Biggie and tell him that Biggie is going for a walk. He laughs but joins. Jessica will also joke that Biggie is going out in the snow or is hiding in the basement. He will laugh and then run to find Biggie. He enjoys this approach so much, sometimes he will instigate this activity so Jessica will do something funny with Biggie. Jessica is helping him get exercise without it feeling like exercise. Jessica’s playful approach seems to bring him joy and the extra movement improves his quality of life.