Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Vancouver

Meet the Vancouver 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 Vancouver we believe that getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. Norm and Marcia Harris opened the Senior Helpers Vancouver office because of their passion for helping others and their interest in the growing need for in-home care services. The Harris’s are committed to delivering the best possible in-home care to seniors in the Vancouver community.

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

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.

Norm and Marcia were drawn to Senior Helpers because of family experiences with dementia and their volunteer work in the medical 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 Philosophy of Caregiving

When it comes to explaining the mission of Senior Helpers, Norm often says it this way:

"The truth is nobody will love your Mom or Dad more than you do. Nobody!! But it’s hard to be a son or daughter when you have to be Cinderella, too."

The notion of professional caregivers taking on “the chores” so family members can spend quality time with their elderly loved ones drives much of what we do at Senior Helpers. Norm is committed to helping families find the right balance of professional support and family time during periods that can be challenging and stressful for everyone."My greatest wish for families is to be able to look back on these experiences without any regrets,"Norm says.

Whether the need for caregiving support is the result of a gradual aging process, or stems from an unanticipated event like a fall or hospitalization, Senior Helpers caregivers focus not only on the household tasks to be performed, but on hearing the stores and experiencing the laughter that comes from learning about a person’s life accomplishments. Again, Norm says,"One of our primary goals is to help our clients remember who they were, before they needed our help."

Licensing and Scope of Service

Senior Helpers operates in Washington and Oregon under the legal name "December Roses, LLC". This name was inspired by verse written by Scottish poet James Barrie, as paraphrased by Thomas S. Monson, "God gave us memories that we might have June roses in the December of our lives."

June roses in the December of our lives

The Senior Helpers home care agency has achieved licensure at the highest levels possible in Washington and Oregon. In each state we offer three levels of care: Companion Care; Personal Care; and Specialty Care, which includes Medication Management, Dementia Care (through the Senior Gems® program), Parkinson’s Care (through the Balancing Act® program), Nursing Services (through Nurse Delegation) and End-of-Life Comfort Care (in collaboration with local hospice agencies).

As a non-medical in-home care agency, Senior Helpers of Vancouver collaborates with families and other healthcare-related entities to provide professional and compassionate care to clients whose health conditions are "stable and predictable". Our caregivers provide support in helping clients follow discharge instructions following a hospital stay and/or encouraging clients to complete exercises recommended by licensed members of their care team. We also work in partnership with local senior housing communities to assist their residents who need a little more support than is typically offered in these settings, especially during temporary periods of transition or recuperation. Recently, we’ve been asked to help several clients manage their medications to avoid errors in taking them too often, or not at all. With Senior Helpers, our clients get just the right amount of support to be able to remain in their preferred living environment, for as long or as short as is needed.

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 Vancouver Team

Kyle Harris

President

Kyle Harris serves as the President of Senior Helpers of Portland/Vancouver and has been involved in the family business since the early beginnings in 2012. Throughout Kyle’s time working for Senior Helpers of Portland/Vancouver, he developed a passion for in home senior care and considers it a “sacred work” and stands committed to serving Seniors in his community with the highest level of care. Prior to joining Senior Helpers, Kyle spent his career as a finance executive transforming financial and operational systems, managing teams domestically and across the globe. He is actively involved with seniors and youth alike within his local community and church organizations and enjoys all things outdoors. Kyle is supported by his beautiful wife, Ronnie and his three young boys, Rocklin, Leo, and Jay.

Alicia Forde

Director of Operations

Alicia Forde serves as the Director of Operations of Senior Helpers of Portland/Vancouver and is committed to her role in helping enrich the lives of our Seniors in the community. In the time, Alicia worked with Senior Helpers, she developed a very passionate role in the In-Home Care community! Alicia has lived in the PNW for most of her life. Most of Alicia’s experience is in Human Resources and Executive Management. She also received her Legal degree in 2013. Helping others has always been her passion. Alicia has two teenage boys that are very active in sports. She wants to make a great difference in changing people’s lives! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family/friends, cooking, gardening and being a mother to her boys!

Nathan Harris

Director of Client Services

Nathan Harris is the Director of Client Services for Senior Helpers of Portland/Vancouver. After having worked as Director of Marketing, a Scheduling Manager and Recruiting Manager for Senior Helpers, Nathan pursued a degree in Biochemistry at Brigham Young University - Idaho, with hopes of entering the healthcare field. Through various sales positions he worked in to pay tuition, Nathan learned that the best way to earn a client's business was to be an advocate for them, helping to relieve stress wherever it was possible. In his personal life, Nathan serves regularly in his church, is chronically social, and is trying to be outside more than inside.

Annjohnette Tubera

Scheduling Manager

Annjohnette is a Filipina American, born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She came to the PNW in 2018 to attend nursing school at the University of Portland. She had an interest in the healthcare field at 3 years-old, due to family experiences, especially with her grandmother's Dementia diagnosis. Thus, achieving her Bachelor of Science in Integrative Health and Wellness with a concentration in Wellness Promoting. Along with her years of customer service management, hospitality, restaurant, hospital, and physical therapy clinic experience, she spent most of her life volunteering, exploring new hobbies, and playing sports. Although being over 2,000 miles away from her family and home, she is able to not only make a difference but also build and find a second family here in the PNW. She enjoys spending time with her friends, finding new places to eat, cooking and baking, painting, music, dancing, and being around dogs.

Chelsea Dennis

Client Services Coordinator

Chelsea is the Client Services Coordinator for Senior Helpers of Portland/Vancouver. She has been a caregiver for over 7 years and is passionate about providing the best care possible. Over her time as a caregiver, she has been a team lead, house manager for a group home and has taken on many various roles and worked with a wide variety of individuals in her years. Chelsea’s role with Senior helpers is to support and advocate for clients, assist with care plans and ensure the clients are getting the best care we can offer. In the beginning of 2023, Chelsea moved to the Portland/Vancouver area from Salem with her boyfriend and their son. In her free time Chelsea enjoys going on nature walks, doing puzzles, reading books, gaming with her fiancé and spending time with her family.

Florisa Capones

Scheduling Coordinator

Florisa has 8 years of experience with recruitment and scheduling both local and international organizations. Currently, Florisa is pursuing her graduate studies in Master of Business Administration specializing in Human Resources Program. On a personal note, Florisa loves exploring various genres of books, indulging in thrilling crime documentaries, and discovering local indie coffee shops.

Toni Quiachon Decierra

Talent Acquisition Specialist

Toni lives in the Philippines and has been recruiting virtually for US clients since 2018. She specializes in CNA & RN screening and worked for healthcare organizations in Southern California, Michigan, Illinois, Hawaii, and Canada. She recently just got married and has been enjoying her wife role ever since she moved into her own house. She is also a first-time fur parent of 3 sweet kittens she adopted from her neighbors. In her free time, she likes to cook and prepare meals for the rest of the week! She loves old Katy Perry songs and her favorite Christmas movie series is the classic "Home Alone".

Erika Stardig, RND

Registered Nurse

Erika Stardig RND is a Registered Nurse in both Washington and Oregon. Erika provides nurse delegation and training for caregiver staff at Senior Helpers and in the community. Erika's career in Healthcare began back in 2005 where she was also a caregiver. She gained valuable experience working her way up from caregiver to CNA to Phlebotomy trained to LPN and then finally completing her RN training. Her experience and training give her a humble perspective to the individualized training she provides. You can find her on weekends cheering her kids on from the sidelines or volunteering at the local elementary where she teaches art once a month.

Sandra Logan

Community Relations Coordinator

As a young girl growing up in Gresham, Oregon, my passion and interest in elderly care began to take root. My girlfriend and I would regularly visit elders in convalescent homes, sparking a heartfelt connection with the elderly community. After graduating from high school, I made the move to Southern California where I embarked on my career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and medication technician in the 1980s.

With a desire to broaden my skill set and knowledge, I delved into the world of cosmetology and eventually became a state board cosmetology instructor. Additionally, I pursued studies in nutrition and fitness, earning certificates in both fields. My dedication to caring for others extended beyond just the elderly; I have provided compassionate care to individuals of all ages, from infants to elders, as well as those with disabilities and addiction issues.

In my quest to further support individuals in need, I also studied mental health and obtained certification as a Peer Support Specialist. Currently, my mission remains clear: to bring comfort, ease pain, and provide smiles to those I encounter each day. If I can positively impact at least one person's life daily, I consider it a job well done.

Karen Achas

Home Care Specialist

Karen is a Home Care Specialist with 6 years of experience in client relations, including nearly 4 years in customer service, where she worked with international clients across various industries. While new to the home care field, Karen’s strong background in communication, problem-solving, and customer support enables her to effectively assist families with their care needs. Outside of work, Karen enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the outdoors. She is passionate about connecting with others and values the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of those she works with.

Lisa Willock

Care Manager and Trainer

Born and raised in Portland, I have a great love for the Northwest. I also have a great love of caring for our senior community.

My passion started when I was very young working in nursing facilities. It was reignited when I took care of my father on hospice. The genuine compassion and care of all who helped me through changed my life. I realized that giving that same compassion and care is what I’m supposed to do. With 20+ years’ experience in training and customer service I’m happy to share with new caregivers the rewards of what we do.

Family is everything to me and I’m very lucky to be supported by my husband, sister, daughter and two sons. We all love camping, swimming and exploring new places. And we especially love our dogs.