What is Social Prescribing?
Social prescribing is a person‑centred approach that connects individuals to non‑medical, community‑based supports to improve health and wellbeing.
It recognizes that health is shaped not only by clinical treatments but also by social, emotional, economic, and environmental factors.
Trusted professionals — such as doctors, nurses, social workers, or community connectors — can identify when someone has health‑related social needs and link them to activities or services that strengthen connection, reduce isolation, and support healthier living.
WORKING TOGETHER
How It Works
It often begins with a conversation — the kind that doesn’t fit neatly into a medical chart — where someone shares they’re lonely, overwhelmed, grieving, or disconnected from what once made life meaningful.
A provider or link worker then explores what matters to the person and co‑creates a plan that might include senior centres, cultural gatherings, walking groups, art classes, gardening, peer support, or transportation help.
Instead of offering only a prescription pad, they offer time, curiosity, and a supported pathway back into community, sometimes helping with follow‑through so connection feels possible again.
Why It Matters
Across Manitoba, social prescribing is showing what we’ve always known: connection is medicine.
When people are linked to supportive community spaces, they move more, laugh more, participate more, and feel more grounded — outcomes echoed in Canadian research demonstrating improvements in mental health, physical activity, resilience, and community belonging.
These benefits ripple outward into families, neighbourhoods, and the wider community.
Evidence and Impact
Internationally, social prescribing has shown strong results, including fewer healthcare visits, better patient‑reported wellbeing, and greater engagement with community supports.
A recent analysis suggests every dollar invested can return $4.43 in societal benefit. The UK has integrated social prescribing into primary care, and Canadian pilot programs show similar gains.
In Manitoba, initiatives supporting older adults demonstrate how social prescribing helps people stay independent, connected, and supported in their home communities.
MASC on Social Prescribing
Manitoba Association of Senior Communities (MASC) leads Social Prescribing Manitoba, which works to help healthcare providers connect older adults to Senior Resource Coordinators.
Social Prescribing links people to community programs that can enhance social connection and reduce social isolation and loneliness.
MASC: Social Prescribing Impact Stories
Anne had to retire early because of vision problems, and losing the ability to drive left her isolated at home just as the pandemic began.
Even though she lived with her daughter, she felt deeply alone. Her healthcare provider recognized how much she needed social contact and referred her to a Senior Resource Coordinator, who connected her with the Friendly Hello program.
The volunteer she was matched with became a genuine friend — their weekly calls turned into long conversations and eventually in‑person visits — giving Anne the connection and support she’d been missing and improving her mental health.
Anne's Impact Story
View the full PDF from MASC here
Emily, a woman in her seventies, wanted to be more physically active but wasn’t sure where to start.
During a routine appointment, her healthcare provider asked the right question and connected her with a Senior Resource Coordinator, who met with her at home and introduced her to local activity programs.
Emily chose something that felt doable and meaningful, and through that single step she gained better physical and mental health — along with new social connections that enriched her daily life.
Emily's Impact Story
View the full PDF from MASC here
Louise lives alone and struggles with health issues that make daily life harder, leaving her feeling isolated and depressed.
After her healthcare provider referred her to a Senior Resource Coordinator, she learned about local programs she could join — and those small steps changed everything.
She now gets out regularly, has made new friends, feels less lonely, and notices that her improved mental health has encouraged better physical habits too, like going for walks more often.
Social prescribing helped her rebuild confidence, connection, and a sense of purpose.
Louise's Impact Story
View the full PDF from MASC here
After her divorce, Elaine found herself increasingly isolated and unsure where to turn.
Even though she lived in the Fort Rouge area, she had never visited the Golden Rule Seniors Resource Centre — until her healthcare provider recognized she needed more social connection and referred her to a Senior Resource Coordinator.
With encouragement, Elaine pushed herself to attend a program, and quickly discovered a welcoming space where she could join the book club, attend presentations, learn about resources, and simply be around people again.
Now, when she feels overwhelmed or cooped up, she knows she has a safe, supportive place to go.
Elaine's Impact Story
View the full PDF from MASC here
Explore other Social Prescribing Resources
