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Meet the Portage 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 Portage 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 Kalamazoo 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.  For more than 20 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 Portage was proud to join the system in 2026.  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

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 Portage Team

Theodore Diefenderfer

Theodore Diefenderfer

Owner

Theodore Diefenderfer brings the discipline, integrity, and heart of a Navy veteran to home care. After eight years in the United States Navy, where he served as an Electronics Technician Nuclear Chief aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), and a career in the civilian nuclear sector, Theodore is now channeling his lifelong commitment to service into his own community.

Through Senior Helpers of Portage, he is proud to provide compassionate, dependable care to seniors in Portage, Kalamazoo, Paw Paw, Gobles, Lawton, Mattawan, Plainwell, and Schoolcraft. Theodore believes that operational excellence starts with people who feel supported and valued, and he is dedicated to building a team and a culture that reflect that belief.

Supporting veterans is deeply personal to Theodore. His family founded Rapid Auto Foundation Inc., a nonprofit that helps veterans afford and navigate vehicle registration along the West Coast.

Theodore lives in Paw Paw with his wife, Hailey, their children, Peyton and Stark, and their basset hound, Jerry. He enjoys card and board games, especially when they bring friends together.

Hailey Diefenderfer

Hailey Diefenderfer

Owner

Hailey Diefenderfer brings a critical care background and a bedside commitment to compassion to home care. As a Respiratory Care Practitioner, she learned how much high-standard, caring support matters during life’s most vulnerable moments, and she is now applying that dedication to helping seniors maintain their independence, peace of mind, and quality of life.

Together with her husband, Ted, Hailey is building Senior Helpers of Portage to provide dependable, compassionate in-home care so local seniors can age safely, gracefully, and with dignity at home. She is equally committed to creating a workplace where caregivers feel supported, recognized, and appreciated for the work they do.

Hailey believes that senior care comes down to heart and empathy, and that every individual and family should be treated with the same respect we would want for our own loved ones. She is a strong supporter of grassroots community initiatives and local small businesses, because strong communities are built on people looking out for one another.

Hailey and Ted live in Paw Paw with their two children and their beloved basset hound, Jerry. She is happiest spending time with family, reading by the fire on a cold day, and celebrating Halloween and Christmas with her kids.

Ronald Wilson

Ronald Wilson

Recruiting Manager

Ronald Wilson is passionate about building something that makes a real difference in the community. With Senior Helpers of Portage, he is helping seniors remain safe, independent, and comfortable at home while giving families a trusted local resource when they need support.

Ronald enjoys taking an idea, putting the right people and systems around it, and watching it grow into something meaningful. That approach shapes his work as Recruiting Manager, where he is focused on building a team known for compassion, reliability, and great service, and an organization that employees are proud to be part of.

Ronald cares deeply about causes that improve quality of life for seniors and families, and he looks forward to becoming even more involved in the Portage and greater Kalamazoo community as the business grows. He is especially proud that the work of Senior Helpers of Portage can directly improve people’s lives.

Outside of work, Ronald treasures time with his wife and their three energetic kids.

I want to take this opportunity to express our thanks for the superb work Diane did for Dad while he was in the hospital. She was punctual, personable, and dedicated. She helped my Dad immensely during a difficult time for him. Her calm manner and brilliant smile worked magic. My Dad’s attitude changed completely for the better after her first visit. Thank you so much for giving us Diane. She really is a remarkable person and very caring.
 

Areas We Serve

Senior Helpers of Portage provides a full range of senior home care services for you or your loved one—from companionship and light housework help, to more complex care services, including disease management,  and 24-hour care services.

  • Gobles
  • Kalamazoo
  • Lawton
  • Mattawan
  • Paw Paw
  • Plainwell
  • Portage
  • Schoolcraft