Wendy Annis, founder and owner of Helping Hands Elder Enrichment Services, is an ally for those stricken with dementia and their caregivers. Now, in Tucson, Helping Hands provides a program of one-on-one memory retrieval and communication activities to those struggling with dementia.

These highly personalized activities are crafted around the biographies of the individuals Helping Hands serves. Each one-hour session incorporates various aspects of an individual’s life, along with the arts and history, which encourages sensory stimulation, interaction and, often, abundant memories. Sessions are conducted wherever the individual is located—in their home, assisted living or hospice facilities.

Additionally, Helping Hands offers detailed explanation and instruction regarding these activities to dementia caregivers, be they family or caregiver staff. Group presentations and workshops further detail the various enrichment activities and demonstrate how to create and utilize them in home or facility settings.

Annis first began to understand the sadness and unfairness associated with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease when numerous family members, including her mother, succumbed to it. During the last years of her mother’s life, Annis continued to develop and share her techniques with her mother and others, and witnessed how those with dementia blossomed with consistent activities. It is upon these principles and experiences that Helping Hands was created and continues to be of service today.

Location: 332 N. Citadel Ave., Tucson. For more information, call 520-647-6947, email [email protected] or visit HelpingHandsEES.com.