Meet The Team | Senior Helpers of Spokane
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Serving Spokane, North Idaho and surrounding areas.
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Serving Spokane, North Idaho and surrounding areas.
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Meet the Spokane and North Idaho 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 Spokane and North Idaho, we believe that getting the best care for your loved ones should not be complicated. Jack and Wendy Eastman, owners of Senior Helpers Spokane and North Idaho, are passionate about helping others and committed to delivering the best possible in-home care to seniors in the Spokane, Coeur d'Alene and North Idaho surrounding communities. 

We take in-home care 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.

Our History

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. 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 Spokane and North Idaho was proud to join the system in 2006.  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 LIFE Profile 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 Spokane Team

Jack and Wendy Eastman

Jack and Wendy Eastman

Owners

In 2006, Senior Helpers began serving the senior population in Spokane, Washington and Northern Idaho. Jack and Wendy Eastman acquired the business in May 2025.

Jack is a Veteran and an experienced administrator.  Jack has spent his entire career in healthcare in various roles ranging from direct patient care, project/program management, to being the chief administrator of a physician group.  Jack is able to combine his healthcare and business experience to serve Senior Helpers of Spokane as the CEO and agency director.  In this position, Jack strives to meet the needs and goals of our clients with compassion, respect, and professionalism.

Wendy is a board-certified Neurologist with Special Qualifications in Child Neurology.  She has been practicing in the Spokane area since 2010 in caring for children with various neurological conditions.  She is very familiar with in-home care since many of her patients have specialized in-home health caregivers.  Wendy will be expanding her compassion and neurology knowledge to the senior population.

Together, with the strength of the Senior Helpers business model, coupled with Jack's healthcare business leadership and Wendy's clinical neurology expertise, this independently owned company continues to grow as a trusted, professional in-home care agency with qualified, compassionate caregivers.

Erin Codd

Erin Codd

Business Manager

Erin was born and raised in Spokane and has held several different positions in hospital, skilled nursing, and home care environments. She oversees payroll, billing, and bookkeeping. She has a master’s degree in professional accounting and a bachelor’s degree in health services administration from Eastern Washington University. In her free time, she loves cooking, traveling, sewing, and snuggling with her two cats, Bigs and Smalls.

Kelly Duncan

Kelly Duncan

Community Relations and VA Billing Specialist

Kelly has over 30 years of experience in office management and HR in the medical field. Kelly has been with Senior Helpers since 2016 as our Office Manager. In 2023, she transitioned to assist with community outreach and manage the Veterans Administration billing and receivables so she can spend more time with her family. Kelly is married, has two children, and a special dog, Simon. She and her husband enjoy traveling and time spent with family and friends.

Cindy Julagay

Cindy Julagay

Client Service Manager

Cindy is managing all client services--ensuring that clients are provided with quality care and are fully satisfied with our services. She has over 30 years of healthcare experience working as a NAC (Nurse Aide, Certified) in a variety of roles. She has worked with dementia clients and developmentally delayed adults. She lovingly cared for her disabled brother for the last 7 years and diabetic grandmother for several years.

Leslie Spencer, RN

Leslie Spencer, RN

Client Care Coordinator

Leslie assists with client inquiries, assessments and reassessments, care planning, and care coordination with the goal of meeting the client’s needs and improving the client’s quality of life. She has over 35 years of nursing experience, working in a variety of settings—hospital, home health, and nursing home.  For the last 25 years, she has worked in public health, focusing on communicable disease prevention, health education, care planning and coordination of individuals and families.

 

Emma Prior

Emma Prior

Client Care Coordinator

Originally from the Seattle area, Emma has previously worked in the human services field and worked at Senior Helpers as a caregiver for several years before completing her bachelor's degree in English at Eastern Washington University. She assists with client inquiries, assessments and reassessments, care planning, and care coordination, with the goal of helping clients maintain dignity, safety, and quality of life. At home, she is kept very busy by her young daughter who is the light of her life.  

Lacey Gutbrod

Lacey Gutbrod

Care Team Manager

Lacey will be responsible for overall hiring, training/coaching, and retaining of our caregiving team. While she did not start in the health care field, she has spent the last 15 years helping employees grow in the customer service field. “I am passionate about helping people grow.” When Lacey is not working with her employees she likes to go on trips, see music shows and spend time with her family. She also enjoys crafts, cooking, and baking during the holidays.

Anita Blake

Anita Blake

HR Office Assistant

Anita has worked in education for the last 16 years with an abundance of experience in human resources and office administration. This experience along with her welcoming smile is perfect for her role as an HR Office Assistant.  Anita is excited to be part of Senior Helpers. She is married and has a daughter and son. In her free time, she enjoys watching college football, gardening, baking, and spending time with family.

Kiara J.

Kiara J.

Assistant HCA Trainer

Kiara has been working for Senior Helpers as an office assistant since high school. After graduating from Lewis & Clark and obtaining her AA from SFCC, she transitioned into being a certified Home Care Aide while earning her BA in Psychology and Minor in Sociology at Eastern Washington University. Kiara has been promoted to an Assistant Trainer after receiving her certificate as a WA DSHS Community Instructor to teach HCA Basic Training. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology from GCU while working for Senior Helpers.

Mary Sue Hurd

Mary Sue Hurd

Weekend On-Call Coordinator

Mary Sue works closely with Caryn. She and her husband moved to Louisiana and transitioned to working every weekend managing all incoming calls. Prior to her move, she worked as one of our schedulers. She enjoys speaking to prospects, clients, and caregivers regarding their immediate needs.  She previously worked in a variety of administrative and medical positions.  Mary has been happily married for over 40 years and they are enjoying their new southern life (minus the humidity) and culture.

Sunny R.

Sunny R.

Sales and Marketing Manager

Sunny is a proud graduate of Washington State University and holds a BA in Marketing. She has over 25 years of marketing experience with several of those years devoted to elder care and advocacy.  When she’s not hard at work, she enjoys walking, exploring the city, and being a mom to her two incredible children.  Sunny will be responsible for developing, maintaining, and expanding community relationships and generating new client leads in Spokane and North Idaho communities. 

Washington State Shines a Spotlight on Senior Helpers of Spokane

Watch how Senior Helpers of Spokane is leading the way in senior in-home care and caregiver training. This Washington State Department of Health pilot program helps caregivers like Bianca get certified faster—ensuring seniors like Thor receive exceptional, timely support to age safely at home.


2024 Year in Review

Valentine's Day 2025

Areas We Serve

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

Senior Helpers Spokane serves the cities and towns of:


“Senior Helpers was a great start to my career as an HCA. When I started with Senior Helpers in 2014, I received a warm welcome to the company. Senior Helpers made becoming an HCA exciting. The staff was always kind and caring. I enjoyed being paired with clients who I could really help and make a difference in their lives. Whether it was for just an hour of companion care or 6 hours a day 5 days a week. The care standards we have as a company are by far the best I have experienced. Senior Helpers also gives you the opportunity to grow. The promotion I received to become part of the office staff has been a great blessing. I am excited to utilize my skills in new ways and to develop new skills that will assist me in helping other caregivers be successful in the homes of our clients. I am also excited to help caregivers in communicating their needs as they become part of the Senior Helpers team.”