About Us

We started our senior in-home services company to honor dad (Tricia’s grandfather) and serve as a trusted resource for families needing caregiver assistance. We know all too well how tough it can be to find the right care for a loved one. That’s why we take so much time up front to learn about our clients and their needs—finding the right fit in a caregiver makes all the difference.

In our dad’s case, five years after his initial diagnosis with Alzheimer’s, with his wife still working to keep their window manufacturing business going, dad needed help at home. More than that, he also needed companionship from someone who’d help keep his spirits up. Too many home care agencies focus on the basics of care without giving attention to the whole person. 

We went through a lot of caregivers before finding Suzie and Harold. These two sixty-something seniors restored our dad’s drive for doing the things he loved. He went on daily walks, and Harold took him on regular golf outings. They talked about his days as a young professional baseball player, and what it was like to start a business from scratch after coming home from Korea. He got to laugh, tell stories, and compete again—all the things that made him feel alive.

While dad needed someone to help him get out of bed and dressed, prompt him to brush his teeth and do other daily living tasks, he also needed to be treated with dignity and respect, not impatience.  His senior-aged caregivers gave him that and so much more. We are convinced they gave us more good years with him too. 

For others looking for similar help, a senior caregiver can be the right solution. It made all the difference to our dad and took the pressure off our stepmom.  If we can give that to other families, our mission at Seniors Helping Seniors in San Diego and Orange County is served.

OUR CERTIFICATION

The California Association for Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) has certified Seniors Helping Seniors San Diego and Orange County branches. That means as a consumer you are assured that we provide certified and quality home care services. This is not a license to operate—as a non-medical home care service in California, we are not required to carry a license. CAHSAH is more than that; it ensures that we do the following:

• Carry general and professional liability insurance
• Provide worker’s compensation insurance
• Post a crime/employee dishonesty bond for each employee
• Employ our caregivers directly, not as contractors
• Perform documented and extensive employee background checks
• Provide pre-employment tuberculosis screening
• Provide clients with a client’s rights agreement
• Be transparent with how fees are specified

You can be assured that as a CAHSAH certified agency, we are a trusted and reputable home care provider and your consumer rights are always protected with us.

OUR LEADERS

Sue Erskine:

You’ll find Sue on the Pickleball court or riding her bike along the coast most days. She gets her love of sports from her dad who played baseball professionally before going to fight in the Korean war. 

Sue got her entrepreneurial spirit from him too. They both built successful businesses; he prospered in manufacturing, while Sue excelled in healthcare management and educational technology. Throughout her career, she also raised a family and dedicated time to two causes close to her heart, serving as a founding board member of the North Coast Alzheimer’s Center and operating a Suicide Hotline that she developed.

Sue’s Bio Stats:

• Co-Owner, Seniors Helping Seniors San Diego & Orange County 
• A former co-founder and CEO, Essential Learning
• A former co-founder and Executive VP, PMR Corporation
• BA in Education, University of Miami
• MS in Health Science, Florida International University
• Doctoral work completed in Education, Stanford University
• Doting grandmother to Jake and Ellie
• Proud mom to Tricia Izadi and Ian Erskine
• San Diego resident since 1979
• Resides with her husband in Cardiff, CA

Doris Dorey:

Doris has been an avid runner since the 1970s and today she’s added pickleball, cycling, and golf to the mix. Staying active and fit has served her well for keeping up with her kids and grandkids–the light of her life. She’s lived in a small town in Morris County, NJ for over 3 decades and describes it as a “wonderful place to raise a family.”

Besides sports, Doris is also passionate about giving back to the community. She’s been a volunteer soccer coach, a girl scout troop leader, and a supporter of charities like Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, Susan B. Komen foundation, and several local charities. 

Doris’s Bio Stats:

• Co-Owner, Seniors Helping Seniors New Jersey 
• Former Vice President, Operations & Human Resources, Essential Learning
• Former Director of Compensation & HRIS, Ricoh USA
• BS, Business Administration, Montclair State University
• Certified Dementia Practitioner
• A former Certified Senior Advisor
• A former Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR)
• A former Certified Compensation Professional
• Resides in Morris County, NJ

Tricia Izadi:

Tricia is a native of Southern California and has been fortunate to call San Diego home from an early age. She stayed local for college, attending the University of San Diego and eventually marrying her husband, Darrin, at the campus Founder’s Chapel overlooking the Pacific Ocean. They are the proud parents to Jake and Ellie, and recently added Snowball, a rescue dog, to the family mix. 

Like her mom (Sue) and aunt (Doris), Tricia is a pickleball player and enjoys getting on the court with her husband and kids a few times a week. She keeps active by riding her Peloton bike and swimming–activities that help her hit the ground running each day to keep up with a busy family and career with Seniors Helping Seniors.

• Co-owner Seniors Helping Seniors
• Former Director of Client Services for Relias Learning
• Former Director of Customer Service for Essential Learning
• Director of Customer Service Program for Price Charities here in San Diego
• Bachelor’s in Business Administration, University of San Diego
• Resides in Scripps Ranch, San Diego, CA

Mary McFadden:

A Yoga practitioner and former marathon runner, Mary is one of the lucky people who can say she’s lived in Orange County, CA her entire life. After she married her high school sweetheart, they made San Clemente home and still reside in the idyllic coastal community.

Mary developed a heart for helping the elderly age with dignity when she took over her dad’s caretaking after her mother passed. Her dad, a former deacon, taught Mary the value of ministering to others at an early age. As his caretaker and daughter, and with her education in Psychology and Clinical Psychology, Mary is ideally-suited to her work at Seniors Helping Seniors.  

Mary’s Bio Stats:

• Director of Seniors Helping Seniors, Orange County
• BA in Psychology, CSU Fullerton
• MA in Clinical Psychology, Pepperdine University