About this service
Door-through-door support for medical appointments, tests, shopping, and community programs. We plan the trip, provide safe assistance from the home to the vehicle and into the destination, stay with the client if needed, and bring them safely back with key notes for family. Our teams use safe transfer techniques (seat height, foot placement, pivot/turn, gait-belt when appropriate) and fall-prevention practices (clear paths, deliberate pacing, watch for dizziness) to reduce risk around vehicles and curbs. Mileage and parking are billed transparently per our policy using Canada’s prescribed per-kilometre guidance as a reference. In Alberta’s public system, home care focuses on personal care and health-linked homemaking; transportation to appointments is typically arranged privately (confirm any exceptions with your case manager).
Who it’s for
- Clients who want supported travel to clinics, labs, rehab, day programs, faith/cultural events, or essential shopping.
- People with mobility, balance, or cognitive changes who benefit from calm coaching, hands-on escort, and safety checks before/after trips. Guidance on safe car entry/exit and fall prevention is especially helpful for older adults.
- Families who need reliable appointment advocacy—someone to sit in (with consent), capture instructions, and relay them accurately.
What’s included
Trip planning & reminders
Confirm appointment details, building access, parking/curbside options, and any paperwork; set calendar reminders.
Door-through-door escort
Assist from inside the home to the vehicle and into the destination (clinic, lab, office), using safe car-transfer techniques to protect client and caregiver.
Mobility & fall-prevention support
Gait-belt use when appropriate, steadying at curbs/ramps, planned rest stops, and watch-outs for orthostatic dizziness; follow provincial fall-prevention tips.
Appointment advocacy (with consent)
Check in, wait with the client, take plain-language notes on next steps/medications, and share a brief summary with family.
Medication & personal items check
Ensure mobility aids, glasses, hearing devices, ID, and medication lists travel with the client.
Shopping & carry-in
Execute lists, handle payment with the client, and bring items into the home; put away perishables safely.
Return-home safety scan
Confirm doors/locks, lights, and pathways; encourage hydration and rest.
Frequently asked questions
Is transportation covered by CDHCI or public home care?
CDHCI focuses on funding authorized service hours for personal care and essential health-linked homemaking; appointment transportation on its own is generally not a funded home-care service. Families usually arrange transport privately and blend it with care visits when helpful. (The province funds the home-care program broadly; confirm specifics with your case manager.)
How do you keep transfers in and out of the car safe?
We follow step-by-step techniques: position the seat for height, cue the client to back up until they feel the seat, sit first, then pivot legs in/out—avoiding unsafe lifting. We steady, never yank, and use a gait-belt when appropriate.
What do you do to prevent falls around curbs and parking lots?
We pace the movement, watch for dizziness on standing, choose the safest route, keep hands free for balance, and address hazards like poor lighting or ice—consistent with Alberta fall-prevention advice.
Do you provide wheelchair transport?
Yes, for escort and support. For clients who require a wheelchair-accessible vehicle or stretcher transport, we coordinate the appropriate vendor and remain as the in-person escort if desired.
How are travel charges shown on the invoice?
They’re itemized separately (per-kilometer plus parking/tolls) alongside the care time, using our posted rate schedule that references current CRA per-kilometer guidance.