The Methow Valley has always done things a little differently. This isolated rural valley in north-central Washington is, for permanent residents, a tough place to live. Those who grow old here face the prospect of slippery winter driveways, hot summers, isolation — and lack of caregivers.

Jamie’s Place, an elder-care group home, was founded almost 20 years ago as a response to those challenges and as an alternative to the common end-of-life care institution. It sought to respond to the values of the community, a “we take care of our own” mentality, and it sought to create a home-like environment for elders to age gracefully in the place that they loved. After many years, Jamie’s Place needed a major upgrade, and Johnston Architects was chosen to design a new facility that doubled capacity from 12 to 24 rooms for residents yet kept the home-like environment that made Jamie’s Place so special.

Jamie’s Place, the Methow Valley’s long-term care senior care facility, announced it has hired a new executive director, Natalie Lencioni, who will start the job on Aug. 10.

For the past two years Lencioni has worked at Virginia Mason Health Foundation in Seattle as the development officer for major gifts.

Previously, she led Nora’s Home in Houston, Texas, through a significant expansion. As part of that expansion, she oversaw a construction project that doubled the facility from 16 to 32 guest suites. Lencioni served as executive director at Nora’s Home for 7 years before relocating to Seattle.

Reporter Ann McCreary wrote about the expansion project’s impending groundbreaking in the July 10 edition of the newspaper.

Ely Rodriguez hasn’t stopped with her accomplishments of HCA and CNA certification; she has been accepted into the Wenatchee Valley College two-year nursing program where she will begin classes this fall. A valued employee of Jamie’s Place, Ely passionately advocates for the Green House philosophy of care. Part of her hands-on training took place at a facility in Omak which espouses a more traditional approach to nursing home care and provided her with an opportunity for comparison. 

Jamie’s Place is the only long-term care facility in Washington state’s vast Methow Valley, and its ability to care for elders was threatened last year when caregivers struggled to find safe and affordable housing.

“They were worried they [would] need to move due to lack of housing,” said Rana Clarke, the executive director of Jamie’s Place.  “One had been couch-surfing for over a year. . . . We have an older caregiver living in a trailer without running water.” Another employee commuted more than 30 miles over a mountain pass due to lack of local housing—time-consuming, hazardous, and unsustainable in the face of high gas prices.

Jamie’s Place partners with multiple organizations in the valley to create an opportunity for elders and community members to share a home. Providing much needing housing for community members and support for our aging community members.

Article highlighting two grants awarded to Jamie’s Place for caregiver housing and the beginning of a long-term care network for the Methow Valley.

Methow Valley news article on Jamie’s Place January 2023 flood, caused by a broken sprinkler pipe that caused us to evacuate elders from one building.

Jamie’s Place visits high school for a career panel regarding caregiving in our community. Both a private caregiver and a caregiver from JP talked about their experiences becoming a caregiver. Rana Clarke who is the executive director of Jami’s Place also talked about becoming a caregiver at 18, before going to school for nursing.

We hired Rana Clarke to be our executive director, Rana is a longtime nurse who moved to the Methow Valley with her family in 2018. She has worked as a nurse for 25 years in critical care and surgery before changing pace into elder care and end of life by working at our local home health and hospice.

An article on the study of the Methow Valleys long-term care needs for our community. The Senior Assessment for Support and Housing (SASH) committee conducted a study of the community member’s needs, in order to better prepare for the long-term needs of our residents. This article highlights the finding of the studies.

Jamie’s Place is prepping for COVID 19 precautions. In March 2020 as the world shut down for COVID 19, our Adult Family Home had mere days to adapt and create a safe (as can be) environment for our staff and residents.

Sheila Brandenburg one of the founders and chief administrator and nurse of Jamie’s Place. Sheila is leaving after a decade of running Jamie’s Place. Sheila along with a team of people, built Jamie’s Place from a mere idea into a multi-home facility with a new philosophy of elder care.