Meet Our Team

Working with seniors is something that was instilled upon me from a young age by my mother. When my mother was a volunteer visitor I would occasionally join her on her visits to see Katarina when I was about 8 years old. Katarina was Russian and spoke only a little bit of English. I still remember that Katarina would be in absolute amazement when I would put the straw in my drinking box – she had never seen anything like it and I would show her how it worked! In sharing the same passion with my mother, I continued on during my high school years volunteering at a Long Term Care facility & volunteer visiting also. Later in life when my grandmother was in Long Term Care, just over an hour away, I regularly went to visit her with my three children until she passed away in 2010. Seeing the enjoyment that she would get watching the children run around and engage her was priceless and truly memorable. Being the owner of Newmarket’s Home Instead allows me to work at my passion and sincerely feel like I am making a difference in a senior’s life. I am honored to have the privilege to provide services to our clients and it is something I take very personally.

Greg, father to Liam and Ava, and husband to Shelley, is well known in the field of home care, but his roots have simple beginnings as his earliest recollections of senior activism refer to a time when his mom was involved with charities like Meals on Wheels and encouraged him and his siblings to do the same. Today, his sits on the Board of Directors of the Ontario Home Care Association, has strong ties to the Alzheimer Society Peel (including partnership in the Caregiver ReCharge Program) and focusses the efforts of the Ottawa office on philanthropy, public education and community outreach. He is an author of the book Trusted Transitions, was presented the Advocacy Award by Home Instead Corporate for his tireless efforts, and since 2009 has driven Home Instead to exceed the expectations of over 1000 seniors and their families, by striving for service excellence.

As the General Manager at Home Instead, Phil leverages over 15 years of customer service experience gained from roles in restaurants and the fitness industry. His leadership extends beyond administrative duties, embodying a hands-on approach to senior care. Phil, deeply rooted in the Ottawa community, brings a local touch to Home Instead. His commitment to personalized service is complemented by a genuine passion for the outdoors, exercise, and cooking. As General Manager, Phil not only oversees operations but actively contributes to creating a warm and engaging environment, ensuring the well-being and fulfillment of seniors in his care

Hello, I'm Sonara, affectionately known as Lucky within my family. Being the sole Canadian-born among my six siblings has earned me this unique nickname. As the youngest in the family, I've had the privilege of witnessing the beautiful journey of my parents' lives. Their aging process has inspired me to take on the meaningful role of caring for them, ultimately leading me to join Home Instead Care as an HCC. My journey with Home Instead Care isn't just a job for me; it's a personal mission rooted in compassion and a genuine desire to make a positive impact on the lives of seniors. Motivated by the experiences within my own family, I am enthusiastic about learning the intricacies of the trade and providing seniors with the compassionate assistance they deserve. Beyond my professional pursuits, my true passion lies in my commitment to family. The love and support that bind us together fuel my dedication to contributing to the well-being of not only my own family but also to yours. I aspire to extend the same level of care and consideration to your loved ones, creating a positive and nurturing environment for all. In essence, my story is one of familial love, responsibility, and a genuine eagerness to make a meaningful difference in the lives of seniors. I look forward to the opportunity to bring warmth, care, and support to your family as well.

Meet Michael Price! He's the go-to guy for connecting community partners and home care resources to help families tackle their unique challenges. Michael's all about giving seniors the freedom to live an active lifestyle. You'll often find him out and about in the community, doing fun presentations and spreading the word about Home Instead's programs on Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and palliative care. When he's not being a superhero at work, you'll find Michael on the slopes, soaking up the great outdoors, and making awesome memories with his family. Living life to the fullest – that's Michael's vibe!

 

Amber has a deep passion for working with seniors and is dedicated to making a positive impact in their lives. With her extensive background in the healthcare industry, Amber brings a wealth of experience in providing personalized, one-on-one care to seniors from her time as a Domiciliary Care Worker in England. Her commitment to helping seniors achieve their goals and ensuring their overall well-being is truly inspiring. Amber is eager to build strong relationships with our clients, and her efforts in the community will undoubtedly enhance our team's success.   

Melissa Emmerton is a highly experienced Client Care Coordinator at Home Instead Ottawa, bringing over 30 years of expertise in healthcare. With a deep understanding of client needs, she provides compassionate and personalized care solutions for seniors and their families. Having worked in both Ottawa and London, Ontario, Melissa has developed a broad perspective on healthcare services, allowing her to support clients with informed and thoughtful decisions and advice.
Beyond her professional life, Melissa is an avid outdoor enthusiast. Whether hiking, enjoying nature, or perfecting her swing on the golf course, she finds joy in the great outdoors, especially during the warmer months. Her love for nature and active lifestyle reflects her positive, energetic approach to both work and life.
Melissa’s dedication, experience, and compassionate nature make her an asset to the Home Instead Ottawa team, where she continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of clients and their families.

Jessica has 6 years of experience working with the elderly and a passion to help. With her background of personal support and community work she is a great addition to our team. She has spent countless hours taking care of clients and supporting families with all stages of care. She understands what it takes to be a caregiver and what clients/families are looking for from their caregivers.

Jessica finds joy in helping others and is keen to see other caregivers learn how to provide the best care they can. In her free time, she enjoys working on cars, spending time with her kids, & going for nature walks. She is eager and excited to start her journey with Home Instead.

Lauren is a dedicated professional with many years of experience in administrative management. She has a deep passion for helping others and is committed to making a positive impact in her community. Family-oriented and compassionate, Lauren is excited to join the Home Instead team, where she looks forward to contributing her skills and making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Lauren Maddison is a dedicated Service Coordinator at Home Instead, where she is passionate about ensuring that families receive the highest quality care for their loved ones. With a background in psychology from Carleton University, Lauren brings a compassionate and thoughtful approach to her work, helping to match clients with the best caregivers to meet their unique needs. Whether coordinating care plans or offering ongoing support, Lauren's goal is always to create a positive and supportive experience for everyone involved. Outside of her professional life, Lauren is very enthusiastic about travel and trying new things from across the world.

Amanda has been a CAREGiver with Home Instead Team since March 2022. She carries with her over 20 years of experience in working throughout the community. Amanda takes pride in her work and enjoys helping each and every one of her clients everyday and finds it an extremely rewarding career. With Amanda’s knowledge and caring personality, she has a great understanding of what her client’s needs are, and never ceases to go out of her way to ensure that they are met. In her role as Lead CAREGiver, Amanda is excited to learn and grow through her past experiences and is enthused about teaching other CAREGivers how to empower their clients to age safely and independently at home.

Geeve has had a lengthy career in the hospitality industry working with several national brands, occupying various roles including General Manager, Regional Manager and Executive Director of Operations. As an entrepreneur, he has owned and operated several independent pubs and restaurants throughout Southwestern Ontario. Geeve has a passion for growing businesses and understands that for successful business growth managers must grow their people first. Accordingly, Geeve has spent his career building teams and relationships, by engaging with all levels of an organization to achieve success together and works hard to be a servant leader. Geeve is excited to work at Home Instead, to give back to the community and supporting you and your aging loved ones. He is married to a Registered Nurse and he and his wife have two beautiful children along with a rambunctious chocolate lab named Portia. He has a passion for cooking, as the kitchen in his home is where you will find him most of the time making an Asian inspired meal, or just baking some delicious butter tarts! Geeve is an avid runner and has competed in several marathons along with many other races across Ontario.

Jerry is an enthusiastic brand champion and after researching Home Instead felt an instant connection to their guiding principles of building trust, taking the lead, and sharing your heart. Jerry is an experienced operations leader with a demonstrated history of success building great teams and growing businesses. Jerry has spent the last 20+ years in operations growing his passion for service excellence and uses his positively outrageous service to delight and astound clients. Jerry specializes in building strong supportive teams while coaching a people first culture across the organization to ensure we are making a difference in people’s lives daily. Jerry is always looking for ways to grow his skillsets and can often be found engaging in conversations with co workers and industry professionals while stepping outside his comfort zone to try something new. Jerry married his high school sweetheart, and they are now parents to 3 amazing children. Jerry spends as much time outdoors with his family as he can swimming, hiking, playing sports and enjoying nature.

For over 10 years Paul has been a great resource to family caregivers and community partners.  He is a great listener and empathetic to the demands placed on spouses, daughters and others who jump to the call of supporting an aging loved one.  He does his best to understand your unique situation and will provide you with options that address the challenges you and your loved one face.  He can help you navigate a hospital to home discharge, speak to the value of one-to-one support in retirement or long-term care or assist you in finding a compatible caregiver to support your loved one in any place that they call home, whether those needs be minimal to complex.  He is highly responsive and thinks outside the box; you are in great hands with Paul!  His favorite things: matcha, cycling, travel and his nephews … but not necessarily in that order. 😉

Kristin has spent the past 10 years working in various levels of hospitality and restaurant management, where her constant mantra was ‘we are here to be in the service of others’. This rang especially true in her last position within Toronto Pearson Airport, where simply being present and approachable led her to assisting people of all ages and cultures with anything from directions to medical emergencies and everything in between. An ever-increasing passion for helping others paired with a close relationship with her grandparents and great-grandparents and watching them go through various stages of assisted care, made the opportunity to join Home Instead an easy decision. In her free time Kristin enjoys cooking with her husband, with her specialty being pasta from scratch. She also loves being outdoors, especially if it involves hiking a fun trail or swimming at the beach.