NCCDP Certified Alzheimer's Disease Dementia Care CADDCT Educator of the Year.

• Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care Staff Education Week Tool Kit
• Educator of the Year Nomination Form - nomination form due by March 15

Educator of the Year: 2019 - 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2009

Congratulations to the following educators for this extraordinary achievement.

Established in 2003, the NCCDP’s Educator of the Year Awards Program honors Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainers (CADDCTs) for their achievements and hard work. The program was created to recognize individuals whose outstanding efforts have enabled them to meet the challenges associated with providing up-to-date and comprehensive dementia education. The nominees are all health care professionals or educators who work in the health care industry, industries that support the health care community, or learning institutions such as nursing homes, long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, retirement communities, hospice agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, psychiatric facilities, adult daycare facilities/ programs, government agencies, home care agencies, health care associations, universities, and learning institutions.

NCCDP’s Educator of the Year Award is recognized as one of the nation’s most prestigious awards in the field of dementia education. The winner of this award has the proven ability to exceed the state and federal regulations regarding dementia education. The educator is an inspirational individual who engages students and instills in them a passion for their continued growth in the field of patient care.

After much deliberation, we are happy to announce that Brenda Groves, LPN, ACHO, CDSGF, CDP, CADDCT, is the NCCDP’s 2019 Educator of the Year!

Groves is employed by the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care (KFMC) which is a not-for-profit organization focused on improving healthcare quality. KFMC is also a member of the Great Plains Quality Innovation Network, the Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organization (QIN-QIO) for Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.  Groves is a Nursing Home Quality Improvement Consultant, working under contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as part of the QIN-QIO work, to improve the quality of care and quality of life for Medicare Beneficiaries residing in long term care facilities across a four-state region.  In this role, Brenda provides oversight, direction, and support across the four-states but provides direct technical assistance to facilities in Kansas.  Through this work, she seeks to promote appropriate dementia care through the engagement of >75% of the nursing homes in these four states to reduce the use of inappropriate antipsychotics and improve the CMS Composite Score.  Like other dementia care professionals, Brenda recognized the value of live training and the impact training has on front-line staff to improve dementia-appropriate care while decreasing incidences of abuse and neglect. Brenda innovatively sought CADDCT certification to leverage this training as an intervention to decrease the rate of inappropriate antipsychotics used in Kansas nursing homes. 

Groves saw the need for additional training in South Dakota last year and created The I-90 Roadshow presenting the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care seminar for 3 days to approximately 300 students. She is described as being energetic and captivating at all of her training sessions. Because of this training, the turnover for both nurses and CNA’s has been greatly reduced, with one CNA who was ready to quit, and is now a vital part of the team!

At least once a month she takes on the role of Charge Nurse/Nurse Manager at Plaza West Regional Health Care Center where she has remained on staff since 2001.

Brenda was awarded the Educator of the Year award on April 4th. Lynn Biot- Gordon, Co-Founder, and Rhonda Brand, President of the NCCDP flew to Topeka to present the award to Groves at a surprise presentation. This wasn't the only surprise for Brenda this week! Her first grandchild was born just hours before the NCCDP presentation. Brenda said the stars were aligned for her and her family. “The NCCDP believes it is very important that awards be presented in person. We want the CADDCT award recipient to know we take this nationally recognized award seriously and that the winner is valued,” stated Lynn Biot Gordon.

The presentation took place at the KFMC Board meeting in Topeka, Kansas. Libby Jones, the Director of Nursing of a 40-bed center in a town of 800 in South Dakota was so inspired by Brenda’s willingness to travel over 8 hours and be away from her family that she nominated Brenda.

The awards ceremony and luncheon were organized as a complete surprise by Sarah Irsik-Good, CEO & President of Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, Inc. along with the support of Sara Elsen, Communication Coordinator, and a number of QIN staff from the four-state organization.

“The presentation of awards is an NCCDP highlight and an event we look forward to presenting every year,” stated Rhonda Brand.

Congratulations Brenda Groves!!!