Social Prescribing Partner Toolkit

Healthy Aging Alberta (HAA)

is a rich network of community-based, senior-serving organizations and allies across our province united by a shared vision: to make Alberta one of the best places in the world to grow older. Through the support of donors and partners like you, HAA facilitates social prescribing programs for older adults throughout the province. HAA also assesses the impact of community-based programs and services offered through a social prescribing model.

Social prescribing

is a holistic approach to healthcare that provides a formal referral pathway for healthcare providers to connect patients to community-based services. This provides much-needed assistance – to doctors and patients alike – and bridges the gap between medical and social care services. With access to adequate food, housing, transportation and mental health support, older adults can maintain their health in the long term. 

In Alberta, HAA is supporting 10 communities to establish a provincial programmatic approach to social prescribing service delivery for older adults. Through the Social Prescribing for Older Adults Program, HAA is responsible for the following:

• Establishing shared principles

• Ensuring that social prescribing programs focused on older adults are aligned through best practice guidelines

• Developing a shared evaluation framework

• Collecting and analyzing data

• Reporting to funders on outcomes and impact

• Liaising with various provincial stakeholders, including Alberta Health Services, the Government of Alberta, and the Health Quality Council of Alberta

• Convening a provincial community of practice

• Advocating and facilitating future investment in social prescribing programs for older adults across Alberta

• Working with the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing to ensure that work in Alberta is aligned with the National Social Prescribing Framework 

How to Use this Toolkit:

This Toolkit goes over the Healthy Aging Alberta Social Prescribing Initiative, what is social prescribing and how it works, some key messages for healthcare providers, government representatives, and community-based organizations, information about the 10 HAA funded Social Prescribing locations, some links to the variety of HAA Social Prescribing Resources, and how to connect with our Social Prescribing Manager to learn more.