MAY 2026 | Active Aging Week 5
THE LIFE-CHANGING IMPACT OF SOCIAL CONNECTION Staying active and involved is key
“What we know with community health-based programs is that they end up getting to folks who don’t need them as much. The people who are really struggling, they don’t know how to get access to these programs. But they probably have a family physician,” Routledge said. “We have these community con- nectors across the province creating the referral pathway, talking to people, finding out what’s going on, and doing assessments,” Routledge continued, adding that for those who are strug- gling, calling 211 — dedicated to sup- port services — is an excellent option. “I’ve been quite pleasantly surprised with how far and fast we have moved through this giant complex system we have. We’ve had Shared Health, regional health authorities, Doctors Manitoba, all good supports. To get that kind of partnership with MASC and commu- nity-based programs… the system is embracing this, and it’s going forward.” Linda Brown, executive director of Active Aging in Manitoba, said the benefits of social prescribing are well-documented. “We know that with a lot of the
research in social connections we see improved self-esteem and confidence, both physical and mental,” she said. “It’s huge,” Brown said of social isolation and loneliness. She mentioned a physician who chose to hold off on retirement, citing that some of his patients come in once a month to get their blood pressure taken and have a visit. “People may lose their driver’s license, their eyesight — they’ve moved from their home to an apartment, and that has made the isolation worse.” Brown has heard stories of seniors who’ve found renewed excitement in their lives through social connection. “Getting connected to a senior centre, a meal program, playing cards, getting a walking buddy, doing physical activ- ity — we see reduced hospital visits, reduced isolation and loneliness, and improvement of overall well-being. “A woman who was starting to lose her sight and was forced to retire said, ‘If I hadn’t got connected to Transcona Senior Centre, I don’t know where I’d be.’ Now, she’s volunteering there and meeting new people. There’s an improved quality of life and it gives people purpose.” n
BY JANINE LEGAL
Groups such as the World Health Organization, the National Institute on Aging, and the Mental Health Com- mission of Canada — among others — have studied and written about the value of social connection, especially as people age. Active Aging in Manitoba, which organizes the Manitoba 55+ Games, promotes social connection and its crucial role in health and well-being. As such, it works with the Manitoba Asso- ciation of Senior Communities (MASC) — the steward of social prescribing in Manitoba — a health initiative that allows doctors and health providers to connect patients, particularly older adults, with non-clinical community resources such as social groups, trans- portation, and wellness programs. Dr. Michael Routledge, the med- ical adviser for social prescribing in Manitoba, has seen the life-changing impacts of social connection. A former
chief provincial health officer for Mani- toba, Routledge has been an adviser to MASC for about three years. “The bottom line is that we know that older adults have health and wellness issues — physical, mental — related to quality of life,” Routledge said. “If we can address those, the benefits are innumerable. Individuals feel better. When you refer them to social prescrib- ing, they self-report that their mental health improves; they don’t go to hos- pitals as often. With access to commu- nity-based programs, people self-report with, ‘I wish I had this before’… it’s more efficient for health-care providers,” he said. Routledge emphasized that ulti- mately the entire health-care system benefits. He also pointed out that various steps must be taken to make this happen successfully, beginning with a shift in the health-care system to include a more holistic approach to well-being. Primary care providers identify older adults and the factors affecting their health, from housing issues to social isolation.
“The bottom line is that we know older adults have health and welness issues – physical, mental – related to quality of life”
Events such as the Manitoba 55+ Games help older adults forge social bonds and connections.
— Dr. Michael Routledge, MASC advisor
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