Editor’s Note: McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care are profiling the McKnight’s 2022 Women of Distinction honorees daily July 5 through Aug. 11. For additional McKnight’s Women of Distinction content, visit this page.

Bonnie Laiderman founded Veterans Home Care in 2003 when she discovered a need among disabled, elderly veterans and their surviving spouses. Today, the organization is a national leader in home care and serves 48 states.

Through Veteran Home Care’s “VetAssist” program, Laiderman has helped more than 20,000 disabled veterans or their surviving spouses across the country obtain Veterans Affairs benefits to pay for home care. 

Additionally, more than 4,000 home care agencies have contracted with Veterans Home Care to be a part of the program. 

“Veterans Home Care is innovating and re-imagining home care,” said the company’s senior director of communications, Janet Jennewein.

Much of this can be credited to Laiderman’s incredible work ethic.

“As a successful female business owner, employer and entrepreneur, Bonnie is a role model in the community and for her colleagues,” Jennewein said.

Laiderman has been recognized for her achievements in home care with numerous awards, such as the Missouri Council for In-Home Services Leadership Award, and has been honored as one of the St. Louis Business Journal’s Most Influential Women, Industry Era Magazine’s Most Inspiring Women and Ingram’s Business Magazine’s 50 People You Should Know.

Her company has been awarded the U.S. Department of Defense’s ESGR Above and Beyond Award and the Better Business Bureau’s Torch Award for Ethics. It also has earned an A+ rating from the BBB and been named on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list seven times.

Nineteen years later, health issues have forced Laiderman to step back from her position of CEO and hand the reins over to her nephew, David Laiderman. She remains on in a smaller mentor capacity.

Her work in those 19 years has made Veterans Home Care a force in home care.

“Today, home care providers, social workers, rehab professionals, senior housing managers and more rely on Veterans Home Care to connect their clients with affordable home care,” Jennewein said.

The McKnight’s Women of Distinction program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Home Care. The program’s Diamond sponsor is PointClickCare. Silver sponsors include OnShift and PharMerica, and the Bronze sponsor is Reliant Rehabilitation. Table sponsors included Dreamscape, Gojo/Purell and Sound Physicians.