Meet the Honolulu Team | Senior Helpers

Meet the Honolulu-Kahala-Kailua office

More than 90% of seniors want to be able to age in their own home with dignity but getting the right type of care can seem daunting. At Senior Helpers Honolulu-Kahala-Kailua we believe that getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. We recognize the growing need for in-home care services, and with our passion for helping others, we are committed to delivering the best possible care to seniors in the Honolulu-Kahala-Kailua community.

We take the opportunity to provide care in your home seriously and make it a priority to provide the highest level of client service possible. We have built an exceptional team of care professionals, each committed to remaining at the forefront of the in-home care industry through our proprietary ongoing training and education programs. You can feel confident that your loved one is in good hands with Senior Helpers.

Our History

Senior Helpers was founded in 2002 by Tony Bonacuse with the help of Peter Ross after their firsthand experience in caring for their respective family members. Tony and Peter identified a need that was not being filled properly by the other companies. They realized that most seniors would prefer to age in their own home rather than move into an unfamiliar institution. Unfortunately, the options available to most seniors were very limited. Most seniors did not have access to well-trained, dependable and accessible in-home care. This was the mission-driven spark that started Senior Helpers.

The first office opened in Baltimore, Maryland, and quickly developed a reputation for delivering excellent in-home senior care with their well-trained staff of professional caregivers. Based on the success of the Baltimore location, the company began to expand. Over the past 13 years, the Senior Helpers family has grown to include a network of more than 300 locally owned and operated franchises across the United States.

Senior Helpers of Honolulu-Kahala-Kailua was proud to join the system in 2020. Like every other owner, we too are fully-committed to the original goal of providing dependable and accessible in-home care with well-trained caregivers. Nothing is more important to us than being the best available resource for seniors and families in our community. We are lucky to serve hundreds of seniors in our community, and we are committed to continuing to provide uncompromising levels of care to all our families.

Our process

The first step in the process is a complimentary, initial in-home care assessment with a Senior Helpers consultant. This assessment can help you understand the true needs of your loved one, and your options. Together we can discuss their needs, our senior care services and determine what’s best for your entire family.

We will cover:

Your family's specific goals

Your loved one's daily plan design and schedule

Pricing and payment methods

Implementation process

Ongoing communication and follow-up plan

Meet the Honolulu-Kahala-Kailua Team

Karen Tierra

Owner

Karen grew up in a small residential community called Ewa Beach, located along the Leeward coast of Oahu, Hawaii. She attended Waipahu High School. After graduation, she attended college and studied economics and social sciences. Karen graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in 2009. After graduation, she returned to Hawaii to be with her family because her father became terminally ill with cancer. Karen helped care for her father by taking him to doctor appointments, preparing his meals, and assisted him with bathing and grooming.

After her father passed away, she started a new career in banking and held various positions in the Trust and Philanthropy Departments. During her employment in the banking industry, she helped care for her grandmother, who had age-associated memory impairment, declining eyesight, needed ambulatory assistance, and personal care in the remaining years of her life. Karen’s grandmother lived to be 100 years old. She passed away with dignity while being cared for in the comfort of her own home.

Having first-hand experience in caregiving and having relatives in the eldercare industry is what prompted Karen to pursue her passion for becoming a senior care franchisee specializing in Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s disease.

Sharon Agliam

Home Care Administrator/Office Manager

Sharon was born in Manila, Philippines, and migrated to Hawaii in May 1996. At 18 years old, she moved to Stockton, CA, where she started gaining knowledge through education and experience as a certified nursing assistant. Sharon has also worked in human resources in management and leadership roles. She received her bachelor's degree in Healthcare Administration. Sharon brings hands-on experience in providing care to patients and residents with dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, hospice patient care, post-surgical care, and patients with psychiatric and behavioral conditions. She continues to work in healthcare and enjoys making a difference in people's lives.

Diana Kiefer

RN MSN

Diana grew up in a small coastal town in Oregon and moved to the Big Island of Hawaii at 19 to attend the University of Hawaii where she obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing. After graduation, Diana worked in acute care hospitals. One day while working on the unit, a Director of Home Health/Hospice asked if she would like to try home nursing. Diana accepted and never looked back. Diana has spent the majority of her career working with Seniors and has extensive experience in Case Management, Home Health, and Skilled Nursing Facilities. Once her children were grown, she returned to school and obtained a graduate degree in nursing.

Diana loves spending time with her family and her pups (Maxwell and Sunny). Also, loves walking, swimming, and sewing.

Meet the Honolulu-Kahala-Kailua office

Our History

Our process

Meet the Honolulu-Kahala-Kailua Team

Photos from the Honolulu-Kahala-Kailua

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