Nancy Van Wyk with Hearthstone in Pella was named a Distinguished Educator of the Year by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners.

Van Wyk was one of 15 selected for the honor. Van Wyk says she’s humbled to receive the award and she’s happy to be recognized for her work.

“I have a passion for caring for people with Alzheimer’s and have done so for many years and have provided the education here at Hearthstone also for an number of years,” she says. “I’m just grateful to Hearthstone that they are willing to invest in the education of our staff–it provides much better care for our residents who suffer from dementia.”

She recently retired from her full-time position at Hearthstone but remains on staff to train others about memory loss care.