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 Central Mississippi was proud to join the system in 2026. Dr. Leslie Leonard’s journey into homecare began not in a boardroom, but at her father’s bedside. After the loss of her mother in 2024, Leslie’s father suffered a serious fall that changed their lives overnight. As his daughter and full-time caregiver, she experienced firsthand the fear, uncertainty, and emotional weight families carry when a loved one needs care. She also saw the difference that compassionate, dependable caregivers can make for the client and their entire family.
For more than 21 years, Leslie served as a computer scientist with the federal government, leading teams and supporting critical national missions. But caregiving revealed a new purpose. What a colleague described as a “heart move” became her calling to serve seniors and families in a deeply personal way.
Leslie started her homecare agency with one simple mission: to provide the same level of compassion, dignity, and respect she wanted for her own father. She and her team understand the trust families place in caregivers, and they are committed to ensuring every client feels safe, valued, and cared for like family.
