Scottsdale – – October 14, 2026 -- Senior Helpers has given its highest honor, the Founders Award, to multi-unit franchisees Tiffany and Shaun Phelan, the first couple to receive it, for operating four locations across Arizona and California.
The Phelans own two locations in Scottsdale and Mesa, Arizona, and two in Clovis and Visalia, California. The award goes to owners who champion the brand's programs, support fellow owners and earn the trust of families in their communities. Senior Helpers presented it at its recent annual conference.
Shaun Phelan opened the first Senior Helpers franchise in 2007 and is the longest-tenured owner
Shaun Phelan opened the Scottsdale location in 2007. Tiffany joined the corporate team that same year before opening her first location in the Fresno area. She now leads dementia training for family caregivers and firefighters in California and Arizona. All four locations serve veterans through VA contracts.
Senior Helpers CEO and co-founder Peter Ross said the Phelans have carried the mission forward for nearly 20 years and have supported fellow franchise owners across the system.
All four Phelan offices hold Age-Friendly Care at Home certification from CHAP
The Phelans' offices are certified in Age-Friendly Care at Home by Community Health Accreditation Partners (CHAP), a credential that remains uncommon in home care. Senior Helpers was the first private duty in-home care provider in the U.S. to earn it.
The certification rests on the 4Ms, an evidence-based framework covering What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility. Tiffany Phelan says every care plan runs on two parallel tracks: what matters to the adult child and what matters to the senior.
Client case shows care plan expanding from weekly outings to seven days a week
Client Katie Blackstock first called Senior Helpers after losing her husband, seeking company and a weekly museum trip. A hospitalization for heart problems and a Parkinson's diagnosis followed, and her care grew to seven days a week. Caregivers still help her run errands, share meals and hear stories of her travels.
The company maps her case to the 4Ms. Mentation covers companionship through grief, Mobility covers safe outings, and Medication covers a plan adapted after her diagnosis.