Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Myrtle Beach

Meet the Myrtle Beach Office

Senior Helpers Low Country has been proudly serving Horry and Georgetown Counties for over 10 years. In that time much has changed and Senior Helpers has changed with it. Along with new management in 2022 Senior Helpers reinvented itself with a focus on quality, community, service, and care. We at Senior Helpers consider it both a privilege to serve our community by providing the best possible care to those who have entrusted us with their loved ones and themselves.

My name is Amy Petersen-Smith and I am the Owner of Senior Helpers of Myrtle Beach and Charleston and I know how critical it is to find the right person to help aid your loved ones when they need it the most. I was drawn to Senior Helpers because I wanted to bring a sense of peace to families. Knowing your loved one is being taken care of by friendly, trained, and compassionate care providers all in their comfort of your loved one’s home will provide that for you.

It is also important to note that Senior Helpers of Myrtle Beach and Charleston are vendors in good standing with the VA. Veterans constitute a major part of our client base and we would not be in this position without going the extra yard for our veterans. The VA has seen this time and time again and as a result trust us to take care of these heroes.

Senior Helpers of Myrtle Beach is proud to be a part of the Senior Helpers family and 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. We have been lucky to serve hundreds of seniors in our community over the years, and we are committed to continuing to provide uncompromising levels of care to all our families.

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 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 Myrtle Beach and Pawleys Island, like every other location, is 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.

We have been lucky to serve hundreds of seniors in our community over the years, 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 Our Owner

From a young age growing up in the Midwest, Amy’s grandparents and parents not only instilled a strong work ethic but that caring, respecting, and giving back to your elders was just the natural way of life. She started this mission early in life as a first grader, volunteering with her grandpa at the church. She always enjoyed hearing the stories and jokes told by the “young fellas” and picked up a bit of wisdom along the way. She later went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and spent the last 25 years in executive management for various human service companies; including the last 9 years with the corporate office for Senior Helpers before moving to Charleston. She and her husband, Barry realized the value of being able to help seniors remain independent at home after her grandma had a fall and was forced to move out of her home for her own safety. They have seen the struggle that so many families experience in trying to keep mom or dad at home, where they want to be, because life pulls us in many directions. We cannot provide that care all the time nor have the energy it takes to care of an aged loved one and manage your own lives. Amy and Barry decided to take this value and bring the convenience of living with assistance at home to your loved one in Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley Counties with Senior Helpers. Their mission is to bring you a sense of peace knowing your loved one is being taken care of by friendly, trained, and compassionate care providers all in their comfort of your loved one’s home. In her free time, Amy enjoys running, swimming, biking, taking her dog (and office mascot) Brutus to the beach, watching college football (especially her beloved Ohio State Buckeyes), and cooking for friends and family.

Meet the Myrtle Beach Team

Sierra Stewart

Recruiter

Sierra from Greenville, SC, always had a passion for helping others and pursued a career in healthcare. Starting as a caregiver, she quickly advanced to scheduler and care team coordinator and now works as a remote recruiter, ensuring quality caregivers are hired. Her career has brought her financial stability, and she remains dedicated to providing top-notch care. Sierra enjoys drawing, building Lego structures, photography, and exploring nature in her free time. Her journey reflects hard work, dedication, and a genuine commitment to making a difference.

Casey Stiffler

Scheduling Coordinator

Growing up in a small town in Ohio, Casey was raised with strong values of empathy and mutual respect. With a background in business and computer science, Casey embarked on an entrepreneurial journey, successfully establishing ten restaurants across three states. This experience honed his expertise in customer service and operational scheduling. A move to the Myrtle Beach area was a strategic decision to provide his son with a vibrant environment rich in opportunities. Casey is deeply committed to supporting clients and caregivers, ensuring a well-balanced and seamless scheduling experience for all.

Mary Bartos

Intake Coordinator

Originally from South Carolina, grew up enjoying the coastal life with frequent access to the beach. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she attended Coastal Carolina University, though she chose to pursue a different path outside of teaching. Passionate about making a difference, Mary found her calling to work with the elderly. Her experiences with her grandparents inspired her to become an advocate, ensuring that seniors and their families receive the care and resources they need. As an Intake Coordinator, she takes pride in protecting her clients, even from unwanted email newsletters. When she's not working, Mary enjoys cheering on the Carolina Gamecocks or getting lost in a book by the beach.

Faith Sanders

Family Care Director

Faith Sanders is our Family Care Director, she is a Passamaquoddy Native American that grew up in the easternmost “city” of the USA, known as Eastport, Maine. Living through Maine winters all her life and dreading the snow each year, in 2020 she decided it was time to move where she vacationed and start a new chapter in life, Myrtle Beach. Her love for caregiving came at a very young age of 10 years old when her Great-Grandmother had a terrible fall, causing brain trauma and leaving her paralyzed on one side. Faith was a natural and quickly realized then that she wanted to help elders. After graduating high school, she became a CNA and worked in many fields of healthcare including home care and hospice with a real passion for Alzheimer’s and dementia clients’. In her role as the Family Care Director at Senior Helpers she takes pride in being able to help families navigate through the world of Home Care and ensure sure loved ones’ can safely age at home with good quality care. When she is not working you can catch her on the beach watching the sunrise, while enjoying some ocean therapy, or spending time with her sons and their cats.

Ruthann Define

Client Service Manager

Ruthann brings nearly 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry, having worked in skilled rehab, long-term care, domestic violence, and home care. She meets with potential clients to conduct comprehensive assessments, identifying the services needed to keep seniors and individuals with impairments safe and independent at home. Ruthann is passionate about helping people in her community maintain their highest level of functioning, quality of life, and dignity as they age in place. Through her dedication, she continues to make a significant impact on the lives of those she serves.

Joy Hough

Care Team Manager and Center of Excellence Trainer

Joy was raised in a rural town just outside Rock Hill, SC, where she developed a love for outdoor activities, such as gardening, and cherished time with family and at the beach. A mother of two daughters, both successful professionals in the Human Services field, Joy relocated to Myrtle Beach due to significant life changes.

With over 15 years of experience working with the aging population, Joy is passionate about helping individuals access the support they need through community resources. As the Care Team Manager at Senior Helpers in Myrtle Beach, she is responsible for orienting, training, and mentoring caregivers, ensuring they align with the core values of the organization. Joy’s dedication is centered on equipping caregivers with the tools and knowledge to effectively care for seniors, helping them navigate challenging times with dignity and support.

Diane Fuson

FlexHOME Manager

Born in New York and raised in a military family, Diane traveled extensively throughout her childhood. She graduated high school with a nurse's aide degree before serving 22 years in the military as an Electrical/Mechanical Engineer, retiring in 2004. Following her military career, she worked as a school bus driver in Massachusetts and Tennessee until 2017. After relocating to South Carolina, she became a tour bus driver for two years but left to assist her mother through open-heart surgery and recovery. Inspired by an NHC nurse, Diane pursued caregiver training, ultimately finding a fulfilling role at Senior Helpers. She values being part of a great team dedicated to helping the elderly maintain their dignity and independence.

Claire Landefeld

Human Resources Coordinator

Claire, originally from Maryland, raised her daughter before moving south to join her family—Theresa, her husband Jon, and her two lively granddaughters, Eva and Olivia. Drawn by the warmer weather and the chance to be closer to family, Claire made Ladson her new home. After a successful career in luxury retail, she sought a more meaningful path and found a perfect fit with Senior Helpers. Now, as she looks to finish out her career, Claire is excited to contribute to the company's growth and is dedicated to helping clients care for their loved ones with compassion and expertise.

Taylor Gianelli

Accounting Coordinator

A South Carolina native and Coastal Carolina University alumna, Taylor manages billing and payroll across three Senior Helpers office locations: Murrells Inlet, Summerville, and Mount Pleasant. As the eldest of five siblings, her upbringing instilled a strong sense of responsibility and care for others, qualities that she now applies in her professional role. She ensures seamless financial operations while supporting both the team and the seniors in their care. In her free time, Taylor enjoys exploring the beautiful Carolinas with her husband and son, embracing the outdoors and family adventures.

Meet the Myrtle Beach Office

Our History

Our process

Our Center of Excellence

Meet Our Owner

Meet the Myrtle Beach Team

Areas We Serve

In Our Community