Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Greater Nashville

Meet the Nashville 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 Nashville we believe getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. We are committed to delivering the best possible in-home care to seniors in the Nashville community.

We take in-home care very seriously and make it a priority to provide the highest level of client service possible. Over the past 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 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 Nashville was proud to join the system. 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.

We currently serve the Middle Tennessee community from our multiple locations:

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 Nashville Team

LaRhonda Hoey

Branch Administrator

Before joining Senior Helpers in 2014, LaRhonda has worked in the health care field for over 15 years. LaRhonda started out as a caregiver and quickly proved that she could be of greater value to the office where she was then promoted to a role in HR. In her current role she utilizes the knowledge and skills obtained throughout her career to positively impact the lives of our clients. LaRhonda’s leadership encompasses group supervision, strategic planning, and hands on approach with shared values and vision. She has a tremendous love for helping others and place high standards on the success of my team. In her free time, she enjoys reading, music, and exploring the local entertainment of Nashville. Time with friends and family is what’s most important in her life, without their strength, wisdom, and support she believes none of her accomplishments would be possible.

Lindsay Summers

Care Manager

Lindsay was born and raised in Middle Tennessee and has been married to her husband, Jimmy, for thirteen years. They have two children, a beautiful daughter, Madalyn, and a handsome son, Franklin. Lindsay’s journey in Senior Care began over ten years ago when she became the primary caregiver for her grandmother who struggled with Alzheimer’s disease. She learned so much about the disease and what families go through. It was then she decided that she wanted to become an advocate for the seniors.

Her career path has now led me to Senior Helpers. As a Care Manager with Senior Helpers, Lindsay will be serving Sumner, Robertson, Montgomery and Davidson Counties. She is excited to be in a position to walk alongside families and help them navigate the challenges that come with caring for an aging loved one. She will be working closely with care partners in the community, to help transition patients home smoothly, with the services they need to live and remain safely at home. Her goal is to ensure that my clients receive the highest quality of care and their families get the peace of mind they deserve.

Amy Walter

Care Manager

Amy Walter is a licensed master social worker with over 16 years of experience. She has worked internationally as a medical social worker in Dublin, Ireland, as well as a local rehabilitation center here in Nashville Tennessee. For the past 9+ years, Amy has used her experiences at Senior Helpers, to help the elderly transition home with the care they need to stay safe. Amy is a Certified Dementia Care Specialist and a Certified Life Planning Facilitator. Amy has a passion for helping families navigate the world of Senior Care and training on areas such as Dementia, Parkinson’s and other Chronic Care Solutions. When not helping the aging community, Amy is spending time with her husband and two sons.

Byron Thomas

HR Manager

Byron is the HR Manager at the Nashville Branch. Originally from Mississippi (The Hospitality State), he has lived in Nashville for 4 years. He brings with him more than 10 years of experience in increasingly responsible roles within Management and HR/Recruitment field. He is strongly committed to making sure that he seizes the opportunity to recognize high quality work, look for the best qualified candidate and ensure everyone has the right tools to operate effectively. He is a huge music lover. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Fraternity Inc. He enjoys volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters during his free time and also enjoys spending time with family and friends and his one and only Italian Greyhound-Santino.

Candace Rufus

Client Services Manager

Candace is the Client Service Manager for the Nashville Office. She made the transition into this role after a short time as the HR Asst for the Hendersonville office. While new to the caregiving field, Candace has always had a passion for helping others. Candace has a BS in Criminal Justice from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Although she was born in Flint, Michigan, Candace considers herself a Tennessee native, being raised in Columbia, TN. Candace spent the last four years living in Orlando, FL working for the Walt Disney Company. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to concerts/listening to music, sleeping, traveling,and trying new foods. Candace is excited for her new role and looks forward to assisting the clients and caregivers, as well as building meaningful relationships. We are very happy to her as part of our Nashville team!

Mary Farris

Manager of Residential Services

Mary came to us with a lot experience in the hospitality and government fields. She worked as a supervisor/manager for a hotel. Eventually she made a career change and worked for the postal service. While managing her career, Mary also provided care to her mother. The fulfillment of caregiving lead her to the medical field. This transition began by attending Anthem Career College where she studied to become a medical assistant. After some time in the field, Mary became an employee of Senior Helpers where she started as a caregiver and was quickly promoted to the assistant of the Manager of Residential Services at Richland Place. Recently Mary was promoted to the Manager of Residential Services at Richland Place. In her free time, Mary likes to go to her kids football games and she also likes spending time with her friends and family. Mary plans to grow with this company. A goal of hers is to one day have her own company.

Meet the Nashville Office

Our History

Our process

Is Home Care the Answer?

Meet the Nashville Team

Caring for a Loved One with Dementia or Alzheimer's

Dr. Laura Endorses Senior Helpers

Areas We Serve