About this service
Groceries, a prescription ready at the pharmacy, a parcel waiting at the post office — small errands keep a household running, and they are often the first thing to slip when energy or mobility changes. Our caregivers run errands with clients or for them: we build the list together, shop at the client’s preferred stores, pay with the client’s own funds, bring back every receipt, and put everything away where it belongs. Done together, a grocery run doubles as time out of the house with a steady arm; done for you, it simply means the fridge is full by lunch. In Alberta’s public system, shopping and errands are generally arranged privately — confirm any exceptions with your case manager.
Who it’s for
- Clients who no longer drive or manage heavy bags but still want their own brands, their own store, and their own routine.
- Families living out of town who want the weekly shop handled by someone they trust — with receipts, not guesswork.
- Anyone recovering after a hospital stay who shouldn’t be lifting, reaching, or standing in line yet.
What’s included
Groceries & meal staples
The list built together, shopping at the client’s preferred store, fresh produce chosen with care, and the fridge and pantry stocked.
Errands & pick-ups
Prescription pick-up, the post office, dry cleaning, returns and exchanges — the small stops, planned as one sensible route.
Put-away & a look around
Everything unpacked and put where it belongs, older items rotated forward, and a quick note to family when supplies run low.
Common questions
Who pays for the shopping?
Always the client — with their own card, a cash float, or a store account. We never front purchases, and every receipt comes home with the groceries. For the service itself, Alberta Maple Care charges our staff’s time at the standard published hourly rate, plus mileage driven on your errands at $0.75 per kilometre (75¢/km) — the current rate, itemized on the invoice.
Can errands be added to an existing care visit?
Yes — most families fold the weekly shop into a personal care or homemaking visit. Errands can also stand alone as their own scheduled visit; the minimum visit length applies either way.
Do you shop with the client or for them?
Whichever serves them better that week. An accompanied shop is gentle exercise, decision-making practice, and an outing rolled into one; a drop-off run is the right call when energy is short. Many clients alternate — out together one week, delivery to the door the next.