Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of South Metro

Meet Our Office and Our Team

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 of South Metro 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 communities we serve.

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.

Meet the South Metro Team

Steve Smela

Owner

Steve Smela understands that you are probably feeling lost or unsure about what kind of support your loved one needs. He understands how heavy that decision can feel. He understands because he’s been there.

Years ago, as his father’s dementia advanced, Steve watched his mother struggle daily, doing everything she could to care for him on her own. Because in-home care was not an option for his parents, they moved into an assisted-living facility, which was a difficult transition for his mother. Looking back, I often wish there had been a trusted in-home care option that could have allowed them both to stay comfortably in the home they loved.

This experience is what motivates Steve to help others navigate through this process. Steve looks forward to meeting with each family to design a customized care plan that truly honors who they are and what they need.

Carrie Carlson

Vice President

Our Vice President, Carrie Carlson, is responsible for Human Resources and Technology in our office. She comes to Senior Helpers from a successful career in both education and technology. Carrie spent 21 years in the Wayzata Public Schools system where she excelled as a teacher, media specialist and technology instructor. She also worked as an account systems engineer and technology instructor for IBM and private business.

Carrie will be working on HR tasks and providing tech support around the office. She will be reviewing our internal systems, and streamlining our workflow so less time is spent on paperwork and more time on clients.

Carrie is a strong advocate of the Senior Helpers mission of helping seniors age-in-place, comfortably and safely in their own homes. She has heard many stories about the lovely interactions between our caregivers and our senior clients, so she is excited to join the Senior Helpers of Burnsville & South Metro team. Other than work, Carrie has 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren. She loves to sing and belongs to a group called "Women of Song." She also enjoys getting out for hikes all year round.

Molly O'Rourke

Registered Nurse, RN

Molly is a dedicated nursing professional with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Presentation College. She comes to us with 19 years’ experience working with seniors in hospitals and memory care facilities. She believes in our Senior Helpers mission of helping seniors safely age-in-place in the comfort of their own home.

When asked what she likes most about working with seniors, Molly said, “Seniors have so many life experiences to share and so much wisdom to pass down. They help me grow as an individual and I want to make a meaningful impact on their lives.” Molly loves being able to improve the quality of life of seniors with the care she provides.

Molly is married to her high school sweetheart. They live in Farmington with their two children and a dog named Bailey. When she’s not working, Molly loves spending time with her family. In the summer, they spend a lot of time at her parent’s cabin and go fishing.

Jannine Graham

Director of Care Coordination

Jannine has worked at Senior Helpers for almost 10 years and it is such a pleasure for our clients and caregivers alike to be greeted by her cheerful smile and sunny personality. Her favorite part is seeing the unique bonds our caregivers make with each client.

She started her lifelong career in healthcare at age 18 as a CNA at Masonic Nursing Home in Bloomington, Apple Valley Health Care Center and a few other area nursing homes. Jannine then worked as an EMT for 5 years and co-owned a medical transportation business.

Jannine has always had a passion for working with those living with Alzheimer's and believes you really need to "step into their world" to provide them the best quality care. She managed an Alzheimer’s unit of 30 clients for 8 years and loved it!

We are so lucky to have this incredibly caring professional as part of our team. In her spare time, Jannine enjoys spending time with her husband, 6 children, 7 grandchildren and 3 dogs! She also loves to travel.

Melissa Merseth

Relationship Marketing Manager

Melissa serves as our Relationship Marketing Manager. In this role, she is dedicated to building and nurturing a referral network with hospitals, rehab facilities, assisted living communities, senior centers, and other organizations that support seniors.

Melissa brings a wealth of experience to her position. She is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) and a Licensed Real Estate Agent. Her professional background includes roles as a Clinical Coordinator and Allergen Immunotherapy Nurse. Her journey working with seniors began nearly 30 years ago when, as a teenager, she volunteered at a nursing home where her mother was employed. After graduating from nursing school, she returned to that same nursing home as a nurse, cementing her lifelong passion for serving the senior community.

Melissa is committed to providing seniors with the support they need to remain in their homes safely and comfortably. She understands the emotional toll of leaving one’s home and is passionate about helping seniors maintain their independence and dignity during their golden years. Her dedication makes her an invaluable asset to our team and a trusted advocate for the seniors we serve.

Melissa lives in Rosemount. She is married and has 4 children. A huge fan of animals, Melissa has 3 cats who are sassy, fat, and happy. Her family enjoys road-tripping together.

Grace Hoepker

Client Services Manager

We are delighted to introduce Grace Hoepker (pronounced “Hep-ker”), our new Client Services Manager. As the “face” of Senior Helpers, Grace will provide an individualized and professional touch by meeting with each new client and their families and introducing them to their new caregiver. She will work closely with the Scheduler and Nurses and follow up with clients and their families on a regular basis.

Grace comes to us with a passion for ensuring older adults can age with dignity and respect. She sees in-home care as a vulnerable and sensitive service and her goal at Senior Helpers “will be to support seniors and their families throughout their time with us.” She has a B.S. in Gerontology and is currently working on her graduate program for an M.A. in Aging Services Management. She has worked in several capacities with a senior living facility, retirement community, senior enrichment programs, and senior outreach programs.

Grace lives in Burnsville with her boyfriend, Quinn, and her 5-year-old cockapoo, Benson. They moved to the Twin Cities in June, and she has enjoyed exploring Minnesota so far. She is originally from West Des Moines, Iowa, and enjoys going back to spend time with her family. When away from work, Grace enjoys road trips, camping, reading, and scrapbooking. She also enjoys spending time with her grandparents which has greatly inspired her education and career goals.

Nancy Branton

Recruiting and Hiring Coordinator

Nancy is passionate about hiring caregivers who are caring, capable, and dependable. When her mother had Alzheimer’s, she gained an understanding of the disease and employed useful techniques to interact effectively with her. After her mother passed away, she was a part-time caregiver for persons with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. She loves to sing, and she discovered how much her clients enjoyed singing and/ or listening to music.

Nancy’s professional career includes many years of human resources management and development experience at several Minnesota state departments. She was also a professional career, life, and leadership coach. Additionally, she trained people to be leadership and career coaches. Nancy earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from St. Olaf College and a master’s degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She has completed numerous professional coaching courses and earned many coaching certifications.

Nancy and her husband have two adult children and one grandchild in Colorado. They love taking trips to Denver and Aspen to spend time with them.

Marylou Hay

Digital Marketing & Social Media

Marylou has been providing insightful strategic and innovative creative marketing leadership to a wide range of Twin Cities companies for over 30 years. She brings a passion for social media & digital marketing, and a deep understanding of its power to drive brand awareness, connect and engage audiences, and ultimately generate leads to build business.

Building on her solid foundation in understanding audience behavior and ability to craft compelling messages, Marylou has transitioned her branding expertise and honed her skills in social media management, content creation, and digital marketing. She believes in the importance of building genuine online relationships and trust, which is reflected in the engagement and loyalty of our audience.

Marylou was drawn to Senior Helpers of Burnsville & South Metro because of their commitment to making a positive impact of the daily lives of Seniors living in the South Metro community of the Twin Cities. She is excited about utilizing her skills in the effort to help transform senior care through providing the highest quality in-home care allowing seniors to age safely in place, in their own homes.

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 affordable in-home care. This was the mission-driven spark that started Senior Helpers.

The first office opened in Baltimore 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 South Metro was proud to join the system in 2007. Like every other owner, we too are fully-committed to the original goal of providing dependable and affordable 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.

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, review our senior care services and determine what’s best for your entire family.