Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Racine

Meet the Racine office

More than 90% of seniors want to be able to age in their own home with dignity but getting the right type of care can seem daunting. At Senior Helpers of Racine we believe that getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. We recognize the growing need for in-home care services, and with our passion for helping others, we are committed to delivering the best possible care to seniors in the Racine community.

We take the opportunity to provide care in your home seriously and make it a priority to provide the highest level of client service possible. 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. You can feel confident that your loved one is in good hands with Senior Helpers.

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 accessible in-home care. This was the mission-driven spark that started Senior Helpers.

The first office opened in Baltimore, Maryland, 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 Racine was proud to join the system in 2021. Like every other owner, we too are fully-committed to the original goal of providing dependable and accessible 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 are lucky to serve hundreds of seniors in our community, 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 the Racine Team

Ivan Payes

Owner/Executive Director

As Owner and Executive Director, Ivan oversees all aspects of Senior Helpers Racine. He is dedicated to improving the lives of our clients and hiring compassionate caregivers that meet their specific needs. Most recently, Ivan was the District Sales Manager of Keurig Dr. Pepper in Racine where he spent 11 years. He is passionate about helping seniors live independently and helping families keep their loved ones at home for as long as possible. Ivan is proud to help families in his community by providing compassionate care so their loved ones can age in place.

Jennie Payes

Owner

As an Owner, Jennie oversees the business operations of the office. Born and raised in Kenosha and now living in Mount Pleasant, she is excited to have brought Senior Helpers to the community that means so much to her. Jennie’s background includes project management, business, marketing, and finance at Advocate Aurora Health, Case New Holland, and GE Healthcare. Jennie is proud to be making an impact in her community by providing alternative solutions for families so their loved ones can age in place.

Gil Atanasoff

Owner

As an Owner, Gil oversees all activities for Senior Helpers Racine. He successfully owns several Senior Helpers in Northern Colorado and Wyoming currently and is proud to have brought the same level of care to his hometown. Gil most recently led Senior Helpers of Madison, WI, one of the largest offices in the country, utilizing his experience from over 20 years in a number of industries. He is grateful to work for a company that shares his passion for helping seniors live independently. Raised in Kenosha, Gil is proud to honor loved ones’ wishes to age in place in Southeast Wisconsin.

Dina Flannery

Client Services Coordinator

Dina has been part of the senior care community for many years. She took on the role of caretaker for family and friends long before she decided to make it her profession. She assisted some of her family at the end of their lives, which had such a profound impact on her that she decided to make it her career. Dina is a certified Elder Care Doula and End Of Life Doula. She also has spent many hours volunteering with Hospice doing respite care. Dina has a passion for giving our elder community the best possible quality of life that they deserve.

Robin Benson

Office Coordinator

Robin joined the Senior Helpers family at the end of 2022 as the Office Coordinator and just loves it from the caregivers to the clients to the staff. Robin went back to college at 50 years old and earned her Associates Degree in Accounting and was selected to do the televised graduation speech for her graduating class! Robin has 2 amazing daughters, 4 grandsons, and 2 great granddaughters who all mean the world to her. She’s been married for 26 years and says they’re still in their honeymoon stage! Give us a call and you’ll likely hear Robin’s kind voice answer the phone or stop in to see us and you’ll see her smiling face greeting you.

Dustin Mapel

Scheduling Coordinator

Dustin has been with Senior Helpers since 2021 and is excited to join the internal office staff team as the Scheduling Coordinator. Dustin was born and raised in Racine and is excited to put his experience and skills to work to make sure our clients and caregivers are being taken care of adequately. He is also a practiced musician, having played the air guitar much of his life!

Kathy Maiden

Scheduling Coordinator

Kathy was born and raised in Racine and joined the Senior Helpers team in 2023. She enjoys spending time with friends and family including her 2 granddaughters and 1 grandson. One thing about Kathy is that she is a nig Starbucks fanatic and loves to start her morning with an ice cold coffee! She is passionate about what she does and is a very fast learner. Her favorite part about Senior Helpers is hearing stories about our staff and clients!

JoEllen George

Hiring Coordinator

JoEllen joined the Senior Helpers family in 2020 after retiring from working 40 years in telecommunications. She was nudged into looking at joining Senior Helpers to help out with recruiting, training, and filling in as a caregiver as needed. JoEllen has found that she enjoys doing work that makes a difference in clients’ lives so that they can age in their own homes with assistance from people who care and who will work with their families to provide them with a caring environment while maintaining their dignity.

Tina Schingeck, RN

Client Relations

Tina began her medical career in New York as a medical examiner assistant in 1994 and later joined the US Navy as a Hospital Corpsman for over 10 years. After leaving the service, she worked as an EMT in Milwaukee for 11 years. In 2011, Tina graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering with her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Tina is passionate about helping people and has vast knowledge in many areas of care including having worked at the VA in Milwaukee. Proof that she is not only caring but an expert in her field, Tina won the DAISY Award in 2015!

Ali Waqar Warraich

Intern

Ali is a dedicated third-year undergraduate at the University of Chicago, where he is pursuing a pre-medical track to become a doctor. His journey in caregiving began at home, where he took care of his late grandfather. This experience was more than just a duty; it became a calling to serve the elderly in his community. Ali is committed to learning all he can about medicine and patient care. He believes that everyone deserves to have someone who will listen and help them through tough times, especially in their later years. As he moves forward in his education, Ali continues to be an advocate for compassionate care, hoping to inspire others with his actions and commitment.

Meet the Racine office

Our History

Our process

Meet the Racine Team

Areas We Serve