Meet the Founder of Empowered Engagement Solutions
For Anna Wellman, dementia care has never been just about understanding a diagnosis.
It has always been about people.
It is about the person who is trying to communicate something but can no longer find the words. The resident whose behavior is misunderstood. The family member searching for reassurance. The overwhelmed healthcare professional who genuinely wants to do the right thing but may not know what to do next.
Over more than 15 years working in long-term care, memory care, life enrichment, behavioral health, and person-centered care, Anna has seen how much of a difference the right approach can make—not only for individuals living with dementia, but also for the professionals and families who support them.
She has also seen the challenges.
Healthcare professionals are often asked to do more with less. They manage complex needs, changing behaviors, staffing challenges, regulations, documentation, family concerns, and the emotional weight that can come with caring for others. Too often, they are given information without being given enough opportunity to explore what that information actually looks like in real life.
That experience helped shape Anna's approach to education.
Education That Helps You Know What to Do Next
Anna believes education should leave people with more than a notebook full of information.
It should leave them thinking:
“I understand this better.”
“I can use this.”
“I know what I can do differently tomorrow.”
Her teaching style is interactive, collaborative, and grounded in real-world experience. She believes some of the best learning happens through conversation, questions, case studies, shared experiences, and those moments when someone suddenly sees a familiar situation from a completely different perspective.
Throughout her career, Anna has been especially passionate about helping professionals move beyond simply reacting to behaviors and begin asking deeper questions:
What might this person be trying to communicate?
What happened before this moment?
What do we know about this person's history, preferences, and needs?
How can we adapt our approach rather than expecting the person to adapt to us?
These questions are at the heart of her approach to person-centered dementia care.
A Background Built on People, Purpose, and Practical Experience
Anna holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and is a Board-Certified Activity Consultant/Educator (AC-BC), Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), and Certified Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care Trainer (CADDCT).
But her work has been shaped by far more than credentials.
Her experience across long-term care, memory care, life enrichment, wellness programming, behavioral health, and person-centered care has given her a firsthand understanding of the challenges professionals encounter every day. She understands that meaningful engagement is not simply about filling a calendar. Good dementia care is not simply about knowing the stages of a disease. And strong leadership is not just about managing people.
At their core, all of these things are about relationships.
They are about understanding people, recognizing strengths, creating opportunities for purpose and connection, and helping professionals feel empowered to make meaningful changes—even when the work is difficult.
Why Empowered Engagement Solutions Was Created
Empowered Engagement Solutions grew from Anna's belief that healthcare professionals deserve practical, engaging education that respects both their knowledge and the realities of their work.
EES was created to be a place where professionals can learn, ask questions, challenge assumptions, and build confidence.
Whether through an Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia Care seminar, consulting relationship, workshop, coaching experience, or speaking engagement, Anna's goal is to help people take what they learn and turn it into action.
She is particularly passionate about helping professionals recognize that meaningful change does not always require a complete overhaul.
Sometimes, it begins with a different question.
A different way of communicating.
A better understanding of a behavior.
An activity that reconnects someone with a lifelong identity.
A leader who feels more confident supporting their team.
Or a healthcare professional who finally realizes that they are capable of making a greater difference than they thought.
Looking Ahead
Through Empowered Engagement Solutions, Anna is building a community centered on education, practical problem-solving, professional growth, and person-centered care.
Her mission is simple:
To empower healthcare professionals with the knowledge, confidence, and practical strategies they need to create more meaningful experiences for the people they serve.
Because better education can lead to better understanding.
Better understanding can lead to better care.
And sometimes, a small change in how we approach another person can create a profoundly meaningful difference.
Anna Wellman, AC-BC, CDP, CADDCT
Founder & Lead Educator, Empowered Engagement Solutions
