Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Austin
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Servicing Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown & Surrounding Areas
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Servicing Austin, Round Rock, Georgetown & Surrounding Areas
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Meet the Senior Helpers of Austin 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 of Austin we believe that getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. We have been serving the Central Texas community since 2009 and are committed to delivering the best possible in-home care to seniors.

We take the opportunity to provide in-home care seriously and make it a priority to provide the highest level of client service possible.  Over the past decade 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. 

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 Austin was proud to join the system in 2009.  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 team has grown to more than a dozen office members, and more than 200 caregivers. 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

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 Senior Helpers of Austin Team

Katie Behrend

Katie Behrend

General Manager

Katie has been with Senior Helpers since 2009. Katie is charged with running our office operations including, HR and scheduling – she makes sure that all schedules are filled with the best Caregivers. Katie has developed many programs to ensure Senior Helpers has the Caregiver capacity to fill any client need at any time! She developed Senior Helpers' unique Caregiver On-Call Program to ensure we have Caregivers available around the clock.

Katie loves cats, enjoys baking and A&M tailgating [Gig'Em]. She really loves the Holiday Season too and still believes in Santa Claus!

Janet Terrell

Janet Terrell

Client Services Manager

Janet has been with Senior Helpers since 2014. Janet manages all incoming calls into our call center.  She answers new inquiries, discusses services, pricing and new products and works with client care to schedule consultations for services. 

Janet is a graduate of University of Louisiana at Monroe with a degree in Communications.​  She enjoys swimming, yoga and working in the yard.  

Ashley Harper

Ashley Harper

Scheduling Coordinator

Ashley is our scheduling coordinator for our South territory and is responsible for the day to day scheduling operations. She has also been with Senior Helpers since 2014 and was a caregiver prior to becoming scheduling coordinator.

Ashley enjoys NASCAR, muscle cars and takes her Dodge Challenger to the drag strip frequently.  She moved back to Austin recently and enjoys city life.

Karla Arana

Karla Arana

Client Services Manager

Karla has been with Senior Helpers since 2021 and is responsible for the day-to-day scheduling operations. She has worked with the elderly since 2015 working in skilled nursing facilities and assisted livings. She has always enjoyed working with elderly. Karla is a nursing graduate.

Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her cat and quite weekends at home watching her favorite shows on Netflix.

Areas We Serve

Senior Helpers of Austin provides a full range of senior home care services for you or your loved one—from companionship and housework help, to more complex care services, including Alzheimer’s & dementia care management, Live-In and 24-hour care services.

Senior Helpers Central Texas serves the cities and towns of: 

  • Austin
  • Georgetown
  • Round Rock
  • Cedar Park
  • Lakeway
  • Buda
  • Pflugerville
  • Leander
  • Liberty Hill
  • West Lake Hills
  • Sun City
  • Bee Cave
  • Lago Vista
  • Sunset Valley
  • Wells Branch
  • Hudson Bend
  • Jonestown

Caregivers are always on time, smiling, keep her room tidy, attentive and responsive to my Mom's needs, and make sure the facility staff is doing their job, i.e. routine toileting. They care for my Mom as if she's their own Mom/Grandmother, making her feel special and loved.