Links2Wellbeing

Social Prescribing Stories 2024

In celebration of our Social Prescribing project , we are excited to share stories submitted by participants in the Links2Wellbeing: Social Prescribing for Older Adults project. These stories represent the personal insights and perspectives of a cohort of older adults from Seniors Active Living Centres (SALCs) from across Ontario.

Individuals were invited to respond to the following three questions:

“What is the most significant change that has happened to you since you started coming to the SALC?”
“Why is this change significant to you?”
“How has this change impacted your life?”

These stories demonstrate the remarkable impact that participating in SALCs through a social prescribing pathway has had on individuals. As one participant wrote: “It impacted my life, it regained my self esteem and confidence and encourage me that life is worth living no matter what”.

To learn more about the themes that emerged and the stories themselves, please click here.

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The OACAO is excited to share our Links2Wellbeing; Social Prescribing Video. This video is an opportunity to learn about the benefits and impact of social prescribing through the voices of Primary and Allied Health Care Providers, staff, volunteer link ambassadors, and participants at Senior Active Living Centres across Ontario.

 

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Links2Wellbeing: Social Prescribing for Older Adults aims to transform the way healthcare providers (Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, etc.) link older adults in Ontario to social and recreational opportunities to promote holistic health and wellbeing. Building on the work of Rx: Community, a made-in-Ontario social prescribing program that began in 2018 and SITS Rx (Social Inclusion through Social Prescription-OACAO pilot project in 2020-2021), Links2Wellbeing will enable family physicians, nurse practitioners and other allied health providers, such as social workers, community paramedics and pharmacists, to link socially isolated older adults with community programs and services offered by Seniors Active Living Centres (SALCs) and OACAO member centres.

The Links2Wellbeing project is the result of a unique partnership between the Alliance for Healthier Communities and the Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario (OACAO), powered by an Anonymous Donor. Phase 1 began in April 2021 and continued for three years. We are thrilled to announce that Phase 2 of the project has been funded for an additional 4 years! Thank you to the project team at OACAO and The Alliance for Healthier Communities for continuing this important collaboration

The Alliance for Healthier Communities (Alliance) is a network of over 100 community-governed, team based primary healthcare organizations across Ontario. Alliance member centres are committed to supporting those who face the highest barriers to health and well-being, including marginalized seniors.

The Older Adult Centres’ Association of Ontario (OACAO) provides advocacy, education, networking, and resources to support a network of over 230 community-based older adult centres and seniors serving organizations across the province. As the voice of older adult centres and Seniors Active Living Centres (SALCs), the OACAO supports member centres to come together to unify their efforts towards the development of comprehensive programs and services, to help older adults stay connected and active in their communities.

Links2Wellbeing has over 90 Centres involved in the project and provided over 1500 Social Prescriptions to older adults who are socially isolated or lonely in Ontario. Participating organizations have been invited to join both a provincial community of practice and a national social prescribing network to share learnings and develop best practices together.

Benefits of Social Prescribing include (but not limited to):

  • Helps with social and community connections and expands the older adult’s network of peer support
  • Healthcare providers are able to use their time more effectively by directing clients to sources that can address their non-medical needs
  • Improves health and well-being
  • Potentially fewer visits to hospital emergency departments
  • Barriers are reduced as older adults are empowered to identify their needs and values and to connect with what matters most to them
  • Provides hope there is a way and a future
  • Potential to resolve issues (loneliness)

Benefits to your Centre include (but not limited to):

  • Opportunity to engage volunteers
  • Support for community outreach
  • Building Membership
  • Creating new referral pathways
  • Helping to connect isolated older adults who may have not connected to your centre (socio-economic barriers)
  • Micro-grants available for participating centres to reduce barriers to participation  (i.e. funds to subsidize clients’ membership and program fees)

The Links2Wellbeing Program is open to OACAO member centres, clubs and organizations, and is ideal for Seniors Active Living Centres (SALCs). There are spaces available for Summer 2024! 

There is a rolling application deadline until the limited number of spots are filled each year. Please email Dena Silverberg, Project Coordinator, Links2Wellbeing, Social Prescribing for Older Adults at dena@oacao.org to set up a meeting to learn more about the project.

To find your closest Seniors Active Living Centre (SALC) participating in the Links2Wellbeing Social Prescribing project please visit: www.socialprescribingquilt.com

To learn more about the Social Prescribing Communities of Practice please visit: www.allianceon.org/Communities-Practice