Ocala Home Care Team

​For over 25 Years Mary was a pre-school teacher in both New York City and Maryland. In 1997, Mary retired from teaching in order to volunteer at Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Atlanta. She also has experience working with children with Autism.

As the co-owner of Home Instead Senior Care Mary is responsible for our Client Relationships and Quality Assurance. Since founding the Ocala Office Mary has lead the development or our exceptional CAREGiver Team. She has an in depth understanding of the needs of seniors and has worked successfully with our clients and families. Mary regularly visits our clients and CAREGivers providing hands on guidance and information.

Mary leads the PEAQ Quality Program for the Ocala Office. The purpose of PEAQ is to continually measure, improve and recognize quality. The PEAQ program is conducted by J.D. Power and Associates. The results for the Ocala Office have consistently lead the entire Home Instead Senior Care franchise system for total client and CAREGiver overall satisfaction. ​

My career in healthcare began at the age of 16, working as a Pharmacy Technician after school and on summer breaks. Since then I have logged 25 years of experience in patient care. After graduating from Nursing School, I went into Critical Care/Trauma Nursing. Recognizing that many of the hospitalizations that I encountered were preventable, and certain I had been called for a higher purpose, I stepped out of the hospital setting and dove nose deep into Home Health.  I spent the next 7 years as a Director of Nursing for a Medicare Home Health Agency. With my steadfast commitment to quality care and preventative advocacy, I lead my team to significantly reduced hospitalizations and measurably improved outcomes for those we cared for. These triumphs were never done by my team alone, and Home Instead Senior Care was always a community resource that we referred to. Working collaboratively for so many years with the amazing talent of Home Instead Senior Care, it is an honor and my pleasure to continue my career as General Manager for such a wonderful company. Enhancing the lives of our seniors, their families, as well as our team of amazing CAREGivers is truly rewarding. 

When I am not working on providing exceptional care to our clients, being a resource to their families, or instilling a culture of excellence to our amazing team, I enjoy spending time with my wonderful husband, Chris, and our beautifully blended family. We have 5 incredible children between us, Anthoni, Ryan, Nicolas, Mackenzie, and Ava. I enjoy spending time Downtown Ocala, visiting Disney World frequently(maybe a little too much), and taking impromptu trips where ever the wind blows. I truly believe in Work-Life-Balance, and I try hard to practice that every day.

Sunny is a native Floridian and has been a resident of Marion County since 1992.  She has been married to her husband Ray for 33 years.  She has an extensive background in business management, customer service and sales.

As Home Care Consultant, Sunny’s primary responsibility is to promote and support Home Instead Senior Care in the Marion County community.  Her personal experience as a caregiver to her terminally ill mother gives her first-hand understanding of the wide range of emotions and challenges facing seniors and their families.  She has a heart of genuine caring and concern for those facing such difficulties.

Sunny’s primary goal is to make a positive difference in the live she touches.

View Sunny's Video Message

​Moving to Marion County in 2002, Anthoni has grown up locally, graduating from Forest High School in 2011. He has worked with Seniors in the area ever since, with roles and experience as a Physical Therapy Assistant & Customer Service. His empathy for Senior Home Care stems from a personal connection, as he currently lives & assists with his grandmother. Anthoni's personal interests include primitive camping, computer assembly and repair, woodworking, cooking, and physical fitness. 

​Diane has spent her life following her heart and taking care of seniors. As she worked hard raising her children in the Midwest, she added caring for her father to her agenda. When her mother fell ill with Alzheimer's Disease in 2014, she relocated to Florida to care for her. Diane has 38 years' experience as a Certified Nursing Assistant; She feels that this experience is a wonderful benefit for her career with Home Instead Senior Care. Diane enjoys the interaction with our clients, their families, as well as our team of CAREGivers. When she is not working, Diane enjoys reading and spending quality tine with her cats. "I have lived most of my life on a farm out west, and I truly think that there is nothing better in life than sitting under a shady tree, with a glass of tea enjoying the beautiful breezes". 

​After working in the academic field for 17 years as Hospitality Department Coordinator and professor, a career switch moved she and her husband south.  She became involved in senior care in an independent living corporation for 11 years as an Activity and Enrichment Coordinator and Regional Coach.  One more move, 2 years ago, pushed them even farther south where she connected with the award winning Home Instead Team.  This move allowed her to achieve a dream of extended quality time with her clients. Chris, now as CAREGiver & Client Advocate helps build relationships between the clients, the caregivers and the office team.  While in the field weekly she has a chance to confirm the quality assurance of each client as she visits them in their own homes. As the beautiful Magnolia Trees age and their leaves start to brown and wither, their blossoms can be seen from a distance still brilliantly white and lovely.  Our caregivers are the cultivators of our senior garden of trees.  May they bloom long after the trees have weakened.

Born and raised in the Bronx, New York City, Richard has called Ocala home for 12 years. A University of Florida graduate, Richard has always loved and appreciated the Ocala/Gainesville area. In his twenty-five plus years of HR experience, Richard has worked in acute care hospitals, rehab centers, hospice, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. In HR management, Richard is familiar and experienced in every facet of the discipline, which includes recruitment, labor relations, policy creation, wage and salary, and benefits. Health care and Human Resources has been a passion, and Richard looks forward to recruiting and retaining quality caregivers for Home Instead.

I started as a CAREGiver and I am now in my 10^th year of bringing  the Gaither Gospel Music video music program to various Assisted Living Communities in the Ocala area. Once a week I show a music video to two assisted living communities. Over the years I have developed many excellent relationships that have helped to provide numerous enjoyable experiences for both the residents and staffs of each community.  In addition, at other times I play my own live music featuring vocals/guitar and drum machine. My goal is provide a great musical “trip” for one hour with reminiscing and enjoyment. Both programs complement each other well by providing a fun and relaxing time. Over time, the residents get to know you and look forward to the next visit. I have very much enjoyed offering both programs and look forward to continuing my efforts in into the future.