How Non-Medical Home Care Works: 6 Steps.
You Don't Need It Figured Out Before You Call.
Six steps. Clear timing. Nothing that happens without your full understanding and agreement.
Antonio or Angelia picks up. No call center. No hold queue. Direct line.
Our steps at a glance
15–30 min
Same call or within 24 hrs
Within 24–48 hrs of fit
Within 24–48 hrs of assessment
Typically within 48–72 hrs of first call
Continuous
Serving the Gulf Coast of Alabama and Florida — Baldwin and Escambia County, AL and Escambia County, FL.
What to have ready before your first home care call.
The only thing the first call requires is a description of your situation. That is all.
Most families wait longer than they should to call because they think they need to have things figured out first — a schedule in mind, a clear sense of what level of care is needed, a decision made. You do not. Tony and Angela have had this conversation with hundreds of families. Their job on the first call is to ask the right questions, not to wait for you to have the right answers.
You do not need a diagnosis summary. You do not need to know whether you need 20 hours a week or 24-hour coverage. You just need to be able to describe what your loved one's situation looks like right now and what has made you start looking for help.
- A description of your loved one's situation — what daily life looks like, what has changed, what they need help with
- Any relevant diagnosis or condition information, if you have it — but do not worry if you are not sure of the details
- A general sense of how quickly you need support in place
- Any questions that have been sitting in the back of your mind
- A care schedule or specific hours decided in advance
- A formal referral or physician recommendation
- Everyone in the family aligned before you call
- A decision made about anything — the first call is a conversation, not a commitment
What to have ready before your first home care call.
Every family moves through the same process.
You describe the situation. We listen.
Call 251-236-3844. Antonio or Angelia picks up — not a call center, not an intake form. You tell us about your loved one: what their daily life looks like, what has changed, what you are trying to figure out. We ask questions. By the end of the call, we will tell you honestly whether Serenity Heart is the right fit, which service makes the most sense, and what happens next. If the situation falls outside what we do well, we tell you that directly and point you toward resources that may be a better fit.
We confirm we can serve your loved one well — before moving forward.
Not every situation is right for non-medical home care, and not every situation is right for Serenity Heart specifically. Before scheduling the assessment, we confirm that the level of care needed is within scope, that the service area matches, and that current capacity allows for the right placement — not just any placement. If yes on all three, we move to the assessment. If not, we tell you immediately so you can pursue other resources without losing time.
We come to your home first. This is where we learn what matters.
The assessment is an in-person visit — not a form, not a video call. We come to your home and spends time with you and your loved one directly. We observe the physical environment, learn the daily routine, understand what support is needed and what independence looks like for this specific person. We also tell you clearly what Serenity Heart does and does not provide — so there are no assumptions on either side. Assessment fee: $25. Waived if care begins within 48 hours.
Serenity Heart builds the care plan — then finds the right person, not just an available person.
From what was learned during the assessment, a care plan is built specific to your loved one: the schedule, the tasks, the communication preferences, the details that will make the difference between care that holds and care that does not. At the same time, the right caregiver is identified — matched by condition-specific experience, physical capability for the daily living requirements, and personality fit. If the right caregiver is not immediately available, you are told that rather than having the wrong person placed.
Your loved one meets their caregiver. The routine begins.
The first shift is not a trial run. The caregiver arrives knowing your loved one's care plan, their routines, and the details that matter to them. The first few days are an adjustment for everyone — that is normal, and Serenity Heart expects it. After the first shift, Antonio or Angelia checks in with you directly. If something is not working, the time to say so is immediately — not two weeks in.
The relationship does not end when care begins. It starts there.
You reach Antonio or Angelia directly when you need them — not a call center, not a rotating coordinator. If the care plan needs to change as your loved one's needs evolve, Serenity Heart adjusts. If a caregiver situation changes, you hear about it before it becomes a disruption. The 50-client cap exists specifically to protect this level of direct oversight. Tony and Angela know every situation — not through reports. Directly.
Why the in-home assessment is non-negotiable.
Not to judge the situation. To understand it well enough to get the match right.
A form can tell you a diagnosis. It cannot tell you that the hallway is narrow and transfers are going to require a specific physical approach. It cannot tell you that your loved one responds well to humour and shuts down when spoken to in a clinical tone. It cannot tell you that the daily routine that looks simple on paper is actually anchored by a set of small rituals that, if disrupted, make the whole day harder.
The assessment is how Serenity Heart learns those things. We spend time in the home — with you and with your loved one. We observe. We ask questions. We listen to what you have figured out over months or years of caring for this person, because that knowledge is irreplaceable and it belongs in the care plan from day one.
The assessment also gives Serenity Heart the chance to be honest about scope. Exactly what is provided and what falls outside non-medical care is covered in the visit. If the situation requires something that cannot be delivered, better to know that before care begins than two weeks in.
$ 25
The in-home assessment is $25.
That fee is waived if care begins within 48 hours of the assessment.
If you are in an urgent situation, tell us when you call. We move as fast as we can.
"Just because the client puts down on the paper what they need does not mean that's what they need. You can get a good sense of a person when you go into that home."
Antonio Ankum - Owner
How caregiver matching works at Serenity Heart
How Serenity Heart decides who walks through that door.
Caregiver matching is where most agencies take the shortcut that eventually costs everyone. They place who is available. Serenity Heart places who is right.
Condition-Specific Experience
Has this caregiver worked with this diagnosis, these daily living requirements, this level of cognitive or physical complexity? Experience with the specific conditions matters. General experience is not a substitute.
Physical Capability
Can they safely perform the transfers, the mobility assistance, the tasks the care plan requires? This is assessed against the specific care plan built from the assessment — not against a general capability profile.
Personality Fit
Weighted as seriously as the first two. A technically capable caregiver who is wrong for the relationship is the wrong caregiver. Full stop. Serenity Heart also matches with the long term in mind — someone who can grow with the relationship, not just meet the starting requirements.
If the right match is not immediately available, that is stated rather than placing someone who is not right. The 50-client cap is what makes this standard sustainable — Antonio and Angelia oversee every placement directly.
Home Care process questions answered directly
The questions families ask before they take the first step. Answered without qualifications that do not belong here.
Do I need to have a care schedule or specific hours in mind before I call?
No. The first call is a conversation, not a proposal. You describe your loved one's situation and what you are trying to figure out. Antonio or Angelia asks questions, and together you work out what level of support makes sense. Some families come in knowing they need 20 hours a week. Others call because something changed and they are not sure what they need at all. Both are fine starting points. The schedule and hours are something you arrive at together — not something you are expected to walk in with.
What if my loved one is resistant to having a caregiver in the home?
This comes up often, and it is one of the things discussed during the assessment. Resistance usually comes from one of two places: a fear of losing independence, or a fear of a stranger in the home. Both are legitimate. During the assessment, we meet your loved one directly — not just you. That initial introduction matters. Caregivers are also matched partly on the basis of how they build trust with someone who is initially reluctant. If resistance is a significant factor, say so on the first call. It shapes how the match is approached.
How long does it typically take from the first call to care beginning?
For most families, care begins within 48 to 72 hours of the first call. Urgent situations — a discharge happening tomorrow, a caregiver who has just become unavailable, a safety situation that cannot wait — move faster. The realistic timeline for the specific situation is confirmed on the first call. Serenity Heart does not give a standard answer and then miss it. If the right caregiver for your loved one is not immediately available, that is stated rather than placing someone who is not right and meeting an artificial timeline.
What if the caregiver we are matched with is not the right fit?
Call Antonio or Angelia directly at 251-236-3844. If something is not working — the approach, the personality, the way a specific task is being handled — that is the conversation to have immediately. Early feedback almost always fixes a placement. Waiting until something has become a pattern makes it harder to correct. If after a genuine adjustment period the match is simply not right, a better one is found. The goal is a placement that holds, not a placement that started on time.
Is there a contract, and what does the commitment look like?
No long-term contract. No fixed term. Either party can end the service with 14 calendar days' written notice. There is a minimum of 4 hours of care per week — that is the floor needed to maintain your loved one's caregiver assignment and continuity of care. It is not a commitment barrier. It is the operational minimum required to keep the right person in place for your loved one. If your situation changes, that conversation starts with a direct call to Antonio or Angelia.