When Tammy McEvoy was asked to share her time and crafting talents to engage with other patients at her local health centre, she ended up getting back as much as she gave sa国际传媒� maybe more.

McEvoy is one of 15 sa国际传媒渉ealth championssa国际传媒� at the Belleville and Quinte West Community Health Centre taking part in an innovative Ontario pilot project in which doctors or other practitioners write out a sa国际传媒渟ocial prescriptionsa国际传媒� for patients experiencing depression, anxiety or loneliness that affects their sense of well-being.

The concept sa国际传媒� prescribing a social activity like taking a yoga class, visiting an art gallery or joining a knitting circle sa国际传媒� has proven to be an effective tool in the U.K., where research has shown that not only do patients benefit from a mental-health boost, but many also end up with reduced medications and find less need to visit their doctors.

Since the pilot project began in October, McEvoy has taught classes on wreath-making, and cooked an evening meal for an addiction group meeting at the centresa国际传媒檚 Quinte West site in Trenton.

The wreath-making classes brought together 16 participants. sa国际传媒淭he first one I did, I watched magic happen because they all started helping each other,sa国际传媒� says the 52-year-old self-described empty-nester whosa国际传媒檚 often alone while her husband works long hours.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e spent the last six years not working and not being out because of health reasons,sa国际传媒� says McEvoy, who has a heart condition. sa国际传媒淏ut now I can go there, Isa国际传媒檓 comfortable there.

sa国际传媒淚t helps me just as much as it helps them.sa国际传媒�

Meghan Shanahan Thain, a social worker at the Trenton health centre, says the program is based on a U.K. collaborative practice model called Altogether Better.

sa国际传媒淪o people come up with their own ideas based on their own talents and skills, but they also have a lens that we donsa国际传媒檛 see in terms of what the community needs and what our clients need,sa国际传媒� she says of the health champions, who included a singing circle in the social activities on offer.

On one occasion, sa国际传媒渨e had two people who are widowed who connected to each other and just sang,sa国际传媒� she says. sa国际传媒淎 girl from the community showed up with a guitar.

sa国际传媒淢usic really brings people together, but it also taps into the socially isolated folks as well sa国际传媒� Just having a social connection has a lot of health benefits. Being socially isolated can make us sick in a lot of different ways.sa国际传媒�

The 18-month pilot project, supported by a $600,000 Ontario Health Ministry grant, is being spearheaded by the Alliance for Healthier Communities, which represents more than 100 primary health-care organizations across the province.

The grant allowed the Alliance to trial social prescribing in 10 of the centres, with a goal of evaluating benefits to patients, says Kate Mulligan, director of policy and communications.

sa国际传媒淥ne example from Thunder Bay that really resonates is theresa国际传媒檚 a long-haul trucker who was experiencing social isolation and he started up a knitting group at the community health centre,sa国际传媒� she says, adding that itsa国际传媒檚 especially satisfying to see a person in need become a volunteer to help others form social connections.

sa国际传媒淭hey start to recognize their own value and self-worth when theysa国际传媒檙e participating and contributing to the community,sa国际传媒� Mulligan says. sa国际传媒淪o yousa国际传媒檙e not just seen as a patient with deficits and problems, but yousa国际传媒檙e a person who has something to offer.sa国际传媒�

Another of the pilot sites is the Rexdale Community Health Centre in Toronto. A large proportion of patients are recent immigrants or refugees, who are at risk of social isolation that can lead to depression and anxiety, says Dr. Sonali Srivastava, a primary-care physician on staff.

sa国际传媒淩eally, the research is showing us that social integration is a major part of peoplesa国际传媒檚 level of happiness and health,sa国际传媒� she says. sa国际传媒滻f theresa国际传媒檚 a social component in there that is missing, we need to address it.sa国际传媒�

That could mean writing a prescription for a patient to join a tai chi class, for example, or to tour a museum or art gallery.

Indeed, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) and the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) are two cultural institutions in Canada that have embraced the idea of coupling social activities with health and well-being.

A recent study conducted by the MMFA, McGill University and the Jewish General Hospital found that seniors who participated in drawing and painting workshops reported an improved sense of well-being, health and quality of life.

Starting in January, the ROM will begin providing 5,000 sets of free passes to patients with social prescriptions for a tour of its exhibits for themselves and three companions, working with 20 of its ROMCAN (Community Access Network) partners in the Greater Toronto Area, including the Alliance for Healthier Communities. The program will then be rolled out to the other 80 partners in the network.

Jennifer Czajkowski, deputy director for engagement at the Toronto museum, says research has shown that museums can be restorative environments for visitors.

sa国际传媒淭heysa国际传媒檙e with other people, also people are able to see objects that might be from their own heritage, things that help them connect to their own culture or to the cultures of others, other times and places,sa国际传媒� she says.

sa国际传媒淭hese things can all help to alleviate a sense of loneliness.sa国际传媒�

Srivastava says social prescribing reflects a change in how the medical community views health and wellness and the role that doctors and allied practitioners can play.

sa国际传媒淚f I just tell somebody verbally sa国际传媒業 want you to go for a walk for 30 minutes, three times a week,sa国际传媒� theysa国际传媒檙e less likely to do it than if I were to write it down on a prescription pad,sa国际传媒� she says.

sa国际传媒淯sually we write down medications, right? But when itsa国际传媒檚 put on a pad of paper and a doctor writes it down and signs it, all of a sudden it means itsa国际传媒檚 serious.

sa国际传媒淎nd I believe the reason why itsa国际传媒檚 important is because we forget that health is not only about physical well-being and mental well-being, itsa国际传媒檚 also about social well-being.sa国际传媒�

Sheryl Ubelacker, The Canadian Press

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