Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Erie

Meet the Erie Office

More than 90% of seniors want to age independently in their own home. But if they need assistance in being able to do that, finding the right home care agency can be a daunting task. At Senior Helpers Erie, we believe getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. The local office of Senior Helpers first opened in 2008, over the the past decade our local reputation for quality care and reliability has spread throughout Erie and nearby counties. We take the responsibility of providing in-home care seriously and make it a priority to provide the highest level of client service possible.

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 existing 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 caregivers or dependable and affordable in-home care. This was the mission-driven spark that started Senior Helpers.

The first office opened in Baltimore, and Senior Helpers 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 Erie was proud to join the system in 2008. Like all locations, 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 local Senior Helpers has grown to 19 team members, and over 250 caregivers. We have served hundreds of seniors in our community over the years, and we are committed to continuously provide uncompromising levels of care for 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 the Staff

Paul Pilatowski

Director of Operations

Paul Pilatowski joined the Senior Helpers staff in late 2018 as the recruitment manager. After a year in that role, he was promoted to Director of Operations in January of 2020. Paul has many years of experience in sales and operations, mostly in the sports management field working for the local Erie sports team. Paul is excited to be a part of the Senior Helpers team and enjoys meeting all the caregivers and talking to clients daily. He feels it is a wonderful field that truly makes a difference in the daily lives of the seniors we have the pleasure of serving. Paul is an avid sports fan, especially all things Pittsburgh. He lives in Erie with his wife Colleen, and their children.

Destiny Carter

Director of Care Services

Destiny Carter was hired in 2019 as the Caregiver Manager and then promoted to Director of Care Services in 2020. Prior to working at Senior Helpers, she worked many years in education, providing excellent customer service while focusing on honing student skill sets while providing graduates with career advice. Destiny enjoys her role at Senior Helpers, and believes it is a challenging field that is constantly changing. She hopes to provide the best service to clients while assisting caregivers with their needs as well and is up for the challenge. Destiny and her husband reside in Millcreek township.

Jennifer Bliss

Business Development Coordinator

Jennifer Bliss moved to Russell, PA, in 1991 with her parents and sister. In 2001 she moved to Warren, PA, and has lived in the city since. Jennifer has been married since 2002 and has adopted many “furkids” throughout the years. She enjoys volunteering throughout Warren County and spending time with her niece as much as possible. After over 21 years in radio, Jennifer entered a new chapter in her life with Senior Helpers Erie as the Business Development Coordinator for the Senior Helpers Warren location in early 2020. She continues to spread the word of the Senior Helpers brand and the many services they offer. She also assists with the hiring of new caregivers for the Warren County area and is available for client and home assessments. Jennifer is eager to show our community the quality of home care that Senior Helpers provides with her strong background in Community Relations and Advertising/Marketing.

Patty Hoffman

Training and Compliance Coordinator

Patty has been with Senior Helpers since 2013. She is the Training and Compliance Coordinator working closely with the Caregivers on their annual training and making sure their expirations remain in compliance. She has a good rapport with the Caregivers and is always willing to help with their questions. She also teaches the Senior Gems Alzheimer’s and Dementia course. Patty is the Senior Helpers team captain, for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s that has raised money for the local Alzheimer’s association for the last several years. Patty resides in Erie and in her spare time she enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren.

Susie D'Aurora

Office Manager

Susie Joined Senior Helpers in November 2013 and is a Front Desk Office Assistant. Susie is happy to help with a smile on her face and in her voice. Susie lives with her family in Erie and enjoys spending her time with her family, especially her granddaughter and fur babies.

Robbie Fugate

Government/Community Business Director

Hello, my name is Robbie Fugate. I am the Government/Community Business Director at Senior Helpers of Erie, as well as manage billing and payroll. I joined the team at Senior Helpers in 2014 and since that time, have become very passionate about the homecare business. I offer a diverse background and experience that allows for team leadership and the ability to implement a strong sense of mission and purpose that aligns with corporate values. The opportunity to serve the community through my role at Senior Helpers is not simply a job, but rather a privilege. Robbie resides in Millcreek and is a graduate of Cathedral Prep.

Lynn Laughlin

Client Services Director

Lynn joined Senior Helpers in 2013 working part time and then in 2014 accepted the full-time position of Client Service Manager. Currently Lynn is the Client Services Director and hears many client issues and tries to resolve them in an agreeable and respectful manner.

Over the years many things have changed, but our mission remains the same: helping clients to remain at home, something that Lynn is extremely proud of. Lynn resides in Millcreek.

Rene Nowak

Survey Specialist

My name is Rene Nowak. I have been with Senior Helpers since 2013. As a Survey Specialist, I make monthly client satisfaction calls. I enjoy listening to some of their stories they have shared with me, and I hope I am making a difference with their daily life in representing Senior Helpers.

Robin Marchitelli

Human Resources and Recruiting

Robin has enjoyed being part of the Senior Helpers office for nearly nine years! While she’s seen a lot of growth, development and change over the years, one thing remains the same…the ongoing need for dedicated caregivers! In her role, she enjoys meeting applicants and guiding them through the hiring process, always aiming to get each new hire off to a good start by providing them with key information delivered through our orientation program. Robin is also responsible for teaching the Senior Helpers Parkinson’s Care course. She enjoys the opportunity to spend time with caregivers in a relaxed setting that encourages learning about the disease and how to effectively deal with clients who are challenged with it. On a personal note, Robin lives in NorthEast, PA and is very family-oriented, enjoys decorating and supporting animal welfare causes.

Jane Hilbert

Registered Nurse

Jane has been the registered nurse at Senior Helpers for the past 7 years. As one of RN’s on staff Jane does case assessments at the client’s homes as well as trains our newly hired Caregivers in our learning and training center. She enjoys her job at Senior Helpers, especially the interactions with the clients and staff.

Jane has been a nurse for 52 years, lives in Millcreek with her Husband and has 3 children and 7 grandchildren.

Linda Krauza

Registered Nurse

Linda has been employed as a Registered Nurse with Senior Helpers since 2016. As an RN she enjoys working with the Options Personal Care program and doing in-home assessments with the clients. When needed she will be called on do to adult special assessments for Senior Helpers. She always enjoys her times with the clients and their families. Linda is originally from Ashtabula Ohio and currently resides in Erie. She is married and has 3 children and 7 grandchildren. Linda is retired from UPMC Hamot where she worked for many years.

Crystal Steele

Care Team Coordinator

Crystal Steele was hired in 2020 as the Care Team Coordinator. Prior to working with Senior Helpers, she worked for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center where she helped people who are in addiction recover and take back their life. She saw firsthand what addiction can do and the miracle in recovery. She is a mother of two boys whom she adores. She has a bachelor’s degree in human services and chose this field due to having a passion for helping others. She hopes to do just that at Senior Helpers where she will be hiring caregivers and conducting orientations.

Terrin Moyer

Caregiver Manager

Terrin Moyer joined the Senior Helpers staff in late 2020 as the Caregiver Manager. Prior to her onboard, she worked many years in the clinical field and providing excellent leadership & management skills to the operations department with UPMC in Erie, PA. Terrin enjoys equipping caregivers with the information necessary to attain compassionate care for our clients of Senior Helpers. She is grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such great staff and taking on the challenges that come with managing a wide variety of caregivers. Terrin and her daughter reside in the city of Erie, PA.

Meet the Erie Office

Our History

Our process

Meet the Staff

Senior Helpers Erie

Areas We Serve