Erin Staadecker

Positive Approach to Care® Certified Independent Trainer

Erin Staadecker

I am a proud Seattle native who has also been fortunate to live around the world! In 2013 I found myself back in Seattle working in senior living at the suggestion of a friend and mentor, but once I was there, it felt like my whole life had led me to that work- always being the only kid at a table of older adults; preferring oldies to popular music; publishing a story about the death of an elder in the panda community (yes, panda bears) at the age of ten; I could go on.

If you know me, you know I adore my residents and my work. And, while rewarding, working with people living with dementia is also the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. Seeing families fall apart over their loved one’s dementia, care givers desperately wanting to help but failing, my own building frustration; I needed some support if I was going to make the difference I wanted in this field. I started learning everything I could about the innerworkings of dementia; like with anything, knowledge is power. When I found myself watching dementia training videos on YouTube in bed at night instead of Netflix, I knew I should probably consider making a career out of this. 

Now, as a Positive Approach to Care® Certified Independent Trainer, I draw from my six years of experience working in assisted living and memory care to help families and care partners understand how it feels to be living with dementia and care from a place of compassion. Because dementia changes everything over time, family members and care partners need to change too in order to be helpful, supportive, and effective. With foundational awareness of dementia, hands-on skill techniques, and coaching to create meaningful lives for your loved one, together we CAN live well with dementia. 

In the words of my role model and mentor, dementia educator extraordinaire Teepa Snow, until there’s a cure for dementia, there’s a positive approach to care. 

I am certified to implement the teachings and trainings about dementia of Teepa Snow and the Positive Approach to Care® (PAC). While based on the educational content from Teepa, and inspired by my Certification, views or opinions expressed, and additional content offered here, are representative of me, independent of the PAC organization.