Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Lafayette

Meet the Lafayette office

More than 90% of seniors want to age in their own home with dignity but getting the right type of care can seem daunting. At Senior Helpers Lafayette we believe getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. Elder Outreach, a Louisiana-based nursing and rehabilitation organization serving a large part of Acadiana, has expanded its senior living services by acquiring Senior Helpers’ of Lafayette. Elder Outreach made the decision to purchase the Senior Helpers Lafayette office because of their passion for helping others and their interest in the growing need for in-home care services in Acadiana. They are committed to delivering the best possible in-home care to seniors in Lafayette and throughout Acadiana. Michele Veillon, Elder Outreach’s longtime Vice President of Marketing, serves as Senior Helpers CEO and co-owner. Senior Helpers’ Lafayette started in 2007 and underwent a change in ownership in 2017. Local senior care expert Susan Amos, applied her experience into making Senior Helpers Lafayette the go-to resource for in-home senior support services. After passing the torch to Elder Outreach, Susan Amos remains as Chief Marketing Officer for Senior Helpers’ Lafayette. The organization now services hundreds of seniors across Acadiana.

“I am so excited to join the Senior Helpers Lafayette family,” said Michele Veillon. “For over two decades, Senior Helpers has served as a partner for families seeking support and care for their loved ones across Acadiana. I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place and expanding services to reach even more families across our community.”

The acquisition of Senior Helpers is only the latest move by Elder Outreach to expand its growing reach into Acadiana-area senior care and wraparound services. Elder Outreach also manages five nursing home communities (Abbeville, Maurice, Lockport, and two communities in Crowley) in addition to two luxury assisted living communities in Abbeville and Crowley. In 2022, Elder Outreach launched Bioactive Infusion and Wellness, an infusion and wellness clinic that treats patients using a combination of patented and traditional infusion therapy.

“We are passionate about the people of Acadiana – and, at Elder Outreach, we believe that every single member of our community has earned the right to age with dignity,” said David McCollister, CEO of Elder Outreach. “Senior Helpers Lafayette provides our senior citizens and their loved ones with peace of mind knowing that they are able to access high-quality care and a range of services from the comfort of their own home.”

Our History

Senior Helpers was founded in 2002 and over the past 21 years has grown into a national leader in professional, in-home senior assistance services. The company has expanded to more than 345 franchises worldwide of which Senior Helpers’ Lafayette ranks in the top 10. Senior Helpers joined the system in 2007 and underwent a change in ownership in 2017 then again in 2023, always with the goal of providing dependable and affordable in-home care with well-trained caregivers. “Nothing is more important to us than providing quality care for our clients and in being the best available resource for seniors and families in our community.”

Senior Helpers is one of the most trusted senior care brands. Their in-home services range from personal and companion care assistance to Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Every service is designed with one goal in mind: to allow each person the opportunity to live their life to the fullest.

Senior Helpers Lafayette offers a variety of services including Alzheimer’s and dementia care, companion care, personal and transitional care, VA benefit assistance, respite care, surgery assistance and end of life support care. Depending on a person’s needs, staff members can help with daily living activities, exercise routines, medication and hydration reminders, transfers and ambulation assistance and much more.

The organization specializes in assisting those battling chronic disease. Senior Helpers provides access to innovative programs like Senior Gems, a certification program for those working in Alzheimer’s & Dementia care, and Parkinson’s Care Program, an industry leading program that trains caregivers who work with seniors afflicted with Parkinson’s.

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 Lafayette Team

Michele Veillon

CEO, Co-owner

Michele Veillon, Elder Outreach’s longtime Vice President of Marketing, will now serve as Senior Helpers’ new CEO and co-owner. Michele has a master’s degree in social work with 30+ combined years as a mental health clinician, healthcare provider, and marketing and brand manager. Her professional affiliations include a board seat on the Rayne Chamber of Commerce and Member-at-Large, Board member and Secretary of the Louisiana Assisted Living Association, Board member of the Rayne Beautification Board; Certified Dementia Practitioner (NCCDP); Brand Ambassador for Bridge the Gap; Rayne Rotary club member; and Board member of the Acadia Tourist Commission. “I am so excited to join the Senior Helpers Lafayette family.” said Michele Veillon, “For over two decades, Senior Helpers has served as a partner for families seeking support and care for their loved ones across Acadiana. I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place and expanding services to reach even more families across our community.”

Susan Giarratano Amos

Chief Marketing Officer

Susan Amos has been assuring that the elderly and disabled around Acadiana receive compassionate, quality homecare for more than 2 decades. During that time she has worked for 2 of the largest homecare companies in the state and has been responsible for the safety and wellbeing of hundreds of individuals. Ms. Amos’s goal has always been to assist the elderly to age in place with dignity and respect. This experience has prepared Ms. Amos for her current success as Chief Marketing Officer for Senior Helpers Lafayette. Her compassion and dedication to seniors and veterans has been recognized by the community and she has received numerous awards including Marketer of the Year and the Better Business Bureau’s Integrity, Ethics and Customer Service Awards. Having cared for so many clients experiencing Alzheimer’s disease in addition to losing her mother to the disease, clients with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia have a special place in Susan’s heart. She has been an advisory board member for the Alzheimer’s Association and an advocate and volunteer for the organization for many years. Ms. Amos holds a seat on the board of the Lafayette Council on Aging. She attended UL majoring in Education and is a long-time resident of Lafayette. Susan has 2 children, Joseph and Jennifer “Jenny”, who also works at Senior Helpers as Marketing Coordinator, and 4 grandchildren; Loa, Laydon, Abigail and Silas.

Jennifer Viltz

Operations Manager

Jennifer Viltz serves as the Operations Manager at Senior Helpers, bringing over 15 years of industry experience to her role. With nine years at one of the largest in-home care companies in Louisiana, she has built a strong foundation in caregiving and operations. Jennifer began her career as a caregiver, passionately working her way up the ladder with the goal of becoming Director of Operations in the near future.

Currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Health Administration at the University of Phoenix, Jennifer's dedication to the aging population has been a lifelong passion. This commitment was further fueled by her personal experience of caring for her mother, who has been a dementia survivor for over 20 years. This journey drives her to ensure that aging adults receive the quality care they deserve.

When she’s not focused on enhancing care for seniors and developing her team, Jennifer enjoys spending quality time with her partner, Alonzo and their French Bulldog, Deuce. She believes in the power of service, often quoting Mahatma Gandhi: "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."

Jennifer is devoted to making a meaningful impact in the lives of those she serves, and her unwavering commitment to quality care is at the heart of everything she does.

Teri Stevenson, RN

Teri Stevenson has practiced professional nursing for 37 years with experience in multiple areas of care. She has served as Assistant Director of a senior care facility, has worked in the home health industry, and has worked as a case manager and educator in an LPN and CNA program. A native Texan, Lafayette became Teri’s home in 1986 where she met her husband of 24 years. They have one son who is attending University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Teri is a great fit for Senior Helpers and shares our core values and desire to provide quality care with a loving touch for our clients. Her belief is that “Caring for the elderly is a special privilege and that learning from their wisdom and life experience is of great value.” Teri will oversee the care of our clients and their care plans, provide medication management, assess potential clients needs and provide caregiver and staff education as part of our Senior Helpers University “SHU”.

Jazlene “Jazz” Rack

HR Director/Compliance Officer

Jazlene “Jazz” oversees all Human Resource (HR) functions and acts as primary contact for all HR related queries, offering guidance and support to employees and managers. She ensures compliance with all local, state and federal regulations of employment law and healthcare industry norms. Jazz also addresses issues related to employee relations such as conflicts, grievances and disciplinary actions per company policies and regulations. In addition, she supervises employee training programs and collaborates with management to address and resolve issues, fostering a positive work environment. During her spare time Jazz enjoys reading and spending time with her 3 children and grandson.

Jennifer "Jenny" O'Quain

Marketing Coordinator

Jenny has been promoted to Community Resource Coordinator for Senior Helpers. She is responsible for the creative development of Senior Helper’s marketing campaigns and supports the Chief Marketing Officer in all marketing and community endeavors. Jenny is responsible for developing relationships with referral sources within Lafayette and in the outlying communities. She also does client admissions and assessments. Jenny has done an excellent job in this position allowing us continued growth and a great reputation in the medical community. Jenny is a true team player and is always there to assist the team when needed. Jennifer developed the Senior Helpers activity corner a couple of years ago, offering games and activities for our caregivers to do with our clients. A proud mother of 2 beautiful daughters; Loa and Laydon, Jenny is the daughter of Susan Amos, Co-Owner of Senior Helpers.

Halana Nicholas

Client Services Coordinator

Halana Nicholas has served in several positions within Senior Helpers including Caregiver, Scheduler, Recruiter and Caregiver Coordinator. Because of her dedication, excellent communication skills and great attitude, she was recently promoted to Client Services Coordinator. Halana does client home visits on a regular basis to ensure that our clients are receiving quality care. She is the contact person for our clients, always happy to speak with them or their families to discuss issues or concerns or to accept compliments of our staff. Halana is a CNA and has been caregiving since 2007, setting the standards and showing the example of a strong skilled caregiver. She joined our Senior Helpers family as a caregiver in 2017 however it was obvious because of her passion for her job that she would be a great mentor and trainer. Halana began mentoring other caregivers and sharing her experience and knowledge with them as part of Senior Helper Lafayette’s Caregiver Mentor Program. She is also an instructor for our Senior Helpers University. Her patience, compassion and skills are the standard of a Senior Helpers caregiver. Halana is a mother of 4 active, athletic children and lives in Breaux Bridge.

Meet the Lafayette office

Our History

Our process

Meet the Lafayette Team

Senior Helpers University

The Lafayette Office

Areas We Serve