Sandy Davidson, administrator at Pine Ridge Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Spokane Valley, says a key part of caring for patients there involves learning about their histories so as to be able to help them recall and share past memories.

“There’s not a one size that fits all as it relates to the development of Alzheimer’s and dementia, but what is not uncommon is for people to lose their memory in reverse of how they gained it,” Davidson says. “So when their spouse comes to visit, they’re confused because those more recent memories of the person they aged with are no longer with them. And that’s why their daughter or son then becomes viewed as their wife or husband.

“We’re all about memory care. It’s not a sidelight. It’s what we do,” says Davidson, who has spent more than two decades working in elderly care.

Built in 2008, the 38,000-square-foot care facility at 12009 E. Mission is owned by Vancouver, Wash.-based Jerry Erwin Associates Inc., which does business as JEA Senior Living. JEA is a privately owned and operated management and development company, and in the last two decades, the company has established 55 care centers across the country and one in Canada. It has facilities in 15 states, including Washington, Oregon, Arizona, California, and New Mexico in the western U.S.

Jerry Erwin founded the company, and he’s developed, managed, and owned Alzheimer’s care centers, assisted-living centers, nursing homes, and retirement facilities for more than 35 years. Erwin previously served as president and vice president of the Washington State Health Care Association. Cody Erwin, Jerry Erwin’s son, is now president and chief operations officer.

Erwin’s dedication to seniors and those with memory loss started when his own mother, Margaret, developed Alzheimer’s disease. She lived with the disease for more than seven years. After her death, Erwin quickly realized there was a strong need for specialized dementia care, says the company’s website.

Pine Ridge has 66 residents with an average age of 90 and currently is operating at capacity. Davidson says the facility has between 55 and 60 employees on staff.

Resident care starts at $4,450 per month and can reach $5,950 per month depending on the care level for the patient. The majority of residents are private pay. Pine Ridge accepts Medicaid payments from residents after they’ve been there at least two years, Davidson says.

Davidson estimates at least 10 percent of residents have long-term care insurance to help pay for care. He says that trend has been steadily rising in recent years.

Pine Ridge has a total of 38 resident rooms—10 house an individual resident, while the other 28 have two people to a room. Private rooms have about 280 square feet of space, and shared rooms have about 380 square feet. All residents have full-sized beds and housekeeping is provided daily. Residents are allowed to decorate their rooms, each of which is equipped with motion detectors.

“Research suggests that having a roommate can reduce the stress for those experiencing Alzheimer’s and dementia because it gives them someone to continually recognize. And waking up by yourself in a place you suddenly don’t recognize can bring on extreme stress,” Davidson says.

At the doorway of each resident’s room is a framed picture of the resident and a four-to-six-paragraph biography of their life for staff to learn, he says.

 “By getting to know them, when they get stuck in their thoughts, you can bring up something from their past to help redirect their memory. It’s a great resource tool for all of us.”

And not just for nursing and medical personnel on staff, Davidson says. “Our maintenance guy loves it. He is well liked by the residents.”

Pine Ridge employs nurses around the clock.

Davidson says every staff member at Pine Ridge is required to complete a special two-day training session called Meaningful Moments, which was designed by Jerry Erwin Associates.

“It’s a state-certified training course that we require in addition to the other required dementia and mental health training the state requires us to have,” he says.

“The goal is to focus more on the background of the resident and to get to know them,” he says.

Prior to a potential resident moving into Pine Ridge, Davidson and other staff members complete an intake assessment with prospective families who are required to complete a six-page form outlining the life of the potential resident.

Davidson says a current resident there who was early in his stay was known to suddenly sprint in short bursts around the hallways of the facility.

“Obviously, we were worried for him, and there were residents who were obviously startled, but in following up with his family learned that he was an accomplished track athlete when he was young,” Davidson says. “Somewhere in his mind, he might have been competing again.”

From there, he says, staff was able to keep a closer eye on the resident, and over time his sprinting outbursts subsided.

Davidson has been at Pine Ride almost two years. His previous job was operating an elderly-care facility in Hawaii that was part of a national chain.

“Fifty-five care facilities is a good-sized number, but JEA is still an intimate company,” he says. “Being family owned, we’re able to avoid the feeling of being a big machine driven by policy and procedures while being pushed by a marketing machine. I had no idea how different it was until I arrived here.”

In Hawaii, the care facility Davidson operated had a separate wing of Alzheimer’s patients.

“But memory care clearly wasn’t a priority. It’s the idea of helping the resident and their loved ones to navigate through this process of aging with dignity and grace,” Davidson says.

For at least 15 minutes per day, Pine Ridge staff are instructed to engage with residents in a memorable moment of their life.

Pine Ridge officials limit television viewing in the main living room area to two hours a day. Residents aren’t allowed to watch negative images, which includes the news or potentially violent movies and TV shows, Davidson says.

Last year, a Pine Ridge resident who grew up in the Okanogan region, learned via the news of wildfires in Okanogan. She became overly distraught and stressed, two emotions that only add to the difficulty of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

“We want to support them in what they can’t do anymore while allowing them to be as individual as possible without making anyone feel bad,” Davidson says.