A new initiative being launched by Shared Health Emergency Response Services aims to help older Manitobans build stronger social connections and access community supports while reducing unnecessary hospital visits.
As part of Paramedic Services Week, observed May 17 to 23, Shared Health announced that paramedics in rural Manitoba communities will begin introducing a new social prescribing initiative in June focused on residents aged 65 and older.
The program is designed to help seniors overcome barriers to community-based services and improve awareness about the importance of staying socially connected.
According to Shared Health, loneliness and social isolation can have a significant impact on overall health and well-being, particularly among older adults. The initiative recognizes that paramedics are often among the first health-care professionals to interact with seniors who may benefit from additional supports beyond medical care.
“Social prescribing reflects an important shift in how we think about care, recognizing that health is shaped by more than medical treatment alone,” said Jason Little, chief operating officer of Shared Health ERS.
“By linking individuals to local supports such as senior centres, community programs and social services, we help reduce isolation and improve quality of life in meaningful, everyday ways,” he added.
The program builds on an earlier provincial government announcement that social prescribing services are now available in all five of Manitoba’s regional health authorities.
Loren Bacala, provincial manager of community paramedicine with Shared Health ERS, said not all paramedic calls require transportation to hospital and that some patients may benefit more from improved awareness and access to local supports.
“We know that strengthening these connections can help prevent avoidable hospital visits, support smoother transitions in care, and enhance quality of life for patients and families,” Bacala said.
He added that the initiative will involve collaboration between regional health authorities, community organizations and local partners to help connect Manitobans with appropriate care and services within their own communities.
The initiative is supported in part through funding from Healthcare Excellence Canada and partnerships with Services to Seniors coordinators in the Northern Health Region, Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority, Southern Health-Santé Sud and Prairie Mountain Health.
