Social prescribing is a new health service being offered at Chigamik Community Health Centre in Midland that puts the focus on holistic health.
The service connects people who don't have the resources to engage in exercise, music, art and spiritual resources in the community to boost their overall health.
After a one-year pilot project wrapped up this month (in which approximately 300 people took part), Chigamik determined it was a valuable service and is continuing it.
“What I think is important about social prescribing is understanding the whole person and not just worrying about one’s physical health. It’s their mental health, their spiritual being and their physical health,” says Suzanne Marchand, executive director of Chigamik.
"It's all pivotal in ensuring someone is well taken care of and balanced."
Social prescribing is new to Canada but has been an extended part of health care in the United Kingdom for about 20 years, says Rebecca Barnstaple, Chigamik's manager of community initiative and innovation.
“The medical establishment is realizing that there are important health benefits for people being connected to things in the community because it supports people’s health,” she says.
In the U.K., they found that every Pound spent on social prescribing saved $10 pounds on the healthcare system, says Barnstaple.
What's happening is that some people, who are feeling ill, go the emergency department or their doctor and undergo expensive tests only to find that they are physically healthy, Barnstaple adds.
"The question is are people visiting the ER or their doctor with something that's not solvable by a medicine?" she asks.
"It can be the result of loneliness, isolation and social anxiety," said Lauren Foote, the community health and well being coordinator hired at Chigamik for the social prescribing program.
What Foote does is conduct a one-hour interview with the person who comes for the free service, or is referred by another member of the community's health team. She tries to find out what the person is passionate about and what they could add to their lives to make them happier.
"It's all about a shift in thinking," says Barnstaple. Rather than asking 'What's the matter with you?' ask 'What matters to you?'"
COVID had a devastating effect on community-based agencies and art-based agencies as people didn't go out. It created a lot of loneliness and anxiety for people who lost their community connections.
"We are still seeing the effects today," says Foote. "People are having a hard time reintegrating back into the community after being detached for an extended period of time."
Chigamik's social prescribing program got a grant from the Alliance for Healthier Communities and Chigamik. They also secured other grants to support partnerships in the community including the YMCA, Wye Marsh, Georgian Bay Food Network, Quest Art, Operation Grow and an equine therapy business. This made the program mutually beneficial to the participants and the organizations.
Participants would attend programs of their choice. The Alliance also supplied a questionnaire and health scale for people to record their feelings after the programs were complete.
“We were able to see the impact these things were actually having on people,” Foote says.
For example, one woman took part in four activities: Equine therapy, Wye Marsh visits, a three-month YMCA membership and a personal spiritual venture.
"There was impact on each of those scales and we saw overall improvement in both her physical and mental health,” Foote says.
While Chigamik's programs are free, they are meant for people who have barriers to taking on activities on their own.
"A lot of people have barriers. They are new to town or new to the country and don't speak the language or they don't read," said Foote.
For everyone else, social prescribing can still be initiated.
"You can prescribe yourself to go and do something. You don't need your doctor. You can take your health into your own hands and socially prescribe yourself to go and do something and give it priority," says Barnstaple.
"Participation in arts and activities and sports has huge benefits for your emotional, social, spiritual and physical health. It's not meaningless. It's where we connect and participate with other people.
"Don't just sit at home alone looking at your phone. That's bad for you," Barnstaple said.
The activities can be anything that is meaningful to you. It can be as simple as walking your dog, spending more time in nature, and gardening to dancing, making art or getting back to a sport you once enjoyed.
Marchand adds: “I don’t think we should overthink it when we hear the word prescription. It’s really about how we are building community and supporting each other to live a healthy, well balanced life and removing isolation and loneliness.”
For more information, contact Chigamik at chigamik.ca or call (705) 527-4154 or visit at the Midland Community Health Hub at 287 Bayshore Drive.
