A Journey Rooted in Family
Touching Hearts at Home began long before the business had a name. Its origins trace back to a deeply personal and sudden shift in Christina Ramos’s family life when her grandmother known lovingly as Nana went from fully independent to rapidly declining in a single week. Once able to manage her home, finances, errands, and daily routines, Nana began forgetting whether she had eaten, taken her medication, or even where she was while shopping. The change was immediate and alarming.
Diagnosed with dementia and deemed a wander risk, she could no longer be left alone. With Christina in college and her parents working full-time, the family turned to home care agencies for help. What they found instead were no-shows, unvetted caregivers, confusion over laws, and a revolving door of strangers entering their home conditions that only worsened Nana’s anxiety and health.
“This was the first time we had ever cared for a declining loved one, and nothing could have prepared us,” Christina shared. “It was traumatic, eye-opening, and unacceptable.”
Those painful experiences became the foundation for the company’s mission: create the kind of home care agency they desperately needed but could not find.
Turning Pain into Purpose
Christina’s parents prayed on the decision and committed to building a different kind of care organization, one defined by qualified professionals, honest policies, consistent training, and heart-led service.
Two core principles guided the launch of Touching Hearts at Home:
- Hire only vetted, experienced caregivers who understand the complexities of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, stroke recovery, and the myriad conditions affecting aging adults.
- Support families as a resource, educating them on care options, state laws, and what to expect during a loved one’s decline.
Nana became both their first employee and first client, greeting visitors at the office, knitting comfortably at her station, and bringing warmth into an organization built in her honor. Her legacy lives on in every client Touching Hearts serves.
A Commitment to Being the Best Not the Biggest
In a state with one of the largest senior populations in the nation, competition is fierce. But Touching Hearts at Home operates differently.
“We’ve never aimed to be the largest agency, only the best,” Christina said.
That standard has earned the organization back-to-back recognition as Best Home Care in Florida in 2024 and 2025, a reflection of its team’s dedication and its leadership’s unshakeable expectations.
Christina knows every caregiver and every client personally details down to how each person takes their coffee or what time they prefer their meals. The company prides itself on continuity of care, dependable scheduling, and a zero tolerance for no-shows.
The difference, she says, is simple: “Hire people who are in this work for the right reasons.”
Building a Workforce of Excellence
Most of Touching Hearts’ care team is part-time, but the agency requires a large applicant pool not for volume, but for discernment.
They reject the industry trend of hiring “warm bodies.” Instead, they engage in:
- Face-to-face interviewing (never phone-only screening)
- Thorough vetting and credential verification
- Ongoing training and education
- A culture where caregivers are treated like family
Christina notes that even during workforce shortages, they refused to lower standards.
“People think we’re crazy for being so selective,” she said. “But we think they are crazy. Our clients deserve the best, and that will never change.”
Caregivers who love their work visibly stand out in the community, often attracting new talent simply through how they carry themselves. As the organization grows, its motto guides every decision:
“We are only as strong as our weakest link, and we don’t have weak links.”
Growth That Protects What Matters Most
Touching Hearts at Home continues to expand its census, increase billable hours, and explore new markets and technologies including AI tools that may enhance in-home monitoring and support.
But growth is always grounded in quality first, ensuring no expansion ever compromises care or culture.
Marketing Through Service, Not Advertising
The company does not advertise traditionally no billboards, no bus wraps, no newspaper placements.
Instead, they invest every marketing dollar back into the community:
- Alzheimer’s Association fundraisers
- Parkinson’s Foundation events
- Veterans’ initiatives
- Local health fairs
- Senior community programs
When families see Touching Hearts show up with compassion and expertise, they know who to call when care is needed. And after 15 years, the agency’s network of referral partners from senior living communities to hospital discharge planners continues to grow.
Challenges That Shaped the Organization
Over 15 years, Touching Hearts at Home has faced its share of trials including workforce shortages, hurricanes, and the immense pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Serving a high-risk population, they navigated daily uncertainty, caregiver health concerns, and strict safety protocols all while never missing a single shift.
Their caregivers became a lifeline for seniors isolated in locked-down nursing facilities, bridging the gap between families and loved ones during one of the most emotionally difficult periods in recent history.
The agency credits faith, resilience, and an “all hands-on deck” mentality for getting through moments that tested the entire industry.
Serving Florida’s Seniors with Integrity
Operating in Florida means navigating a fast-changing regulatory landscape overseen by AHCA. Christina praises the state’s thoughtful policies that protect seniors but hopes to see stronger regulation of registries that send unvetted caregivers into vulnerable homes.
Florida’s growing senior population presents a vast need and vast responsibility. Touching Hearts at Home stands ready for both.
Looking Ahead
Touching Hearts at Home is preparing for its next chapter; expansion into new territories, investment in technology, and continued growth of its exceptional care team. But one thing will never change: the heart of the mission.
“We’re blessed to serve,” Christina says. “This is our calling, and we’re ready for what comes next.”
