Oct. 1, 2019

By Kristena Schutt-Moore

What is social prescribing? It is getting together with friends, volunteering, community engagement and breaking the chains of social isolation. To help with this, Rural Hastings Health Link hosted a Social Prescribing Fair at the Royal Canadian Legion Bancroft Branch  on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
The fair featured several community organizations, programs and clubs as vendors to help people learn what is available to them in the community. Loneliness is linked to a host of ailments including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, as well as with mental health issues. But joining a group or club that shares interests can keep loneliness and isolation at bay. Some of the vendors in attendance were area libraries, CARE North Hastings, North Hastings District Hospital Auxiliary, Volunteer Information Quinte and the North Hastings Children's Services Early ON Centre. 
The goal of the fair was to make connections between members of the community, community groups and health-care partners to help shrink the social isolation that is in this area and help those with feelings of loneliness reach out and find something to help combat that health risk.