Pack up your car, hit the open road, and act on that unexplainable impulse to EXPLORE! Plan your trip to Shaunavon and discover all the beauty and wonder of the Southwest! With over a century of rich history, Shaunavon is conveniently located near some of the best attractions in the province, and offers a multitude of cultural experiences and attractions that will captivate visitors of all ages.
Social Prescribing in Saskatchewan - Living Well in Your Community
The Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism (SSM) is pleased to announce that Saskatchewan will join other provinces and countries as they celebrate Social Prescribing Day on March 14th 2024. Social Prescribing Day is a celebration of social prescribing that takes place annually to celebrate the people, organizations and communities who make social prescribing happen.
On March 12th, the Town of Shaunavon and Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism officially entered into an agreement for Shaunavon to become the first community to join a Social Prescribing Initiative over the next 3.5 years. A part-time Community Connector position will be hired to work with a Steering Committee of the Town of Shaunavon to plan and deliver this service for older adults in our community. Watch for further details and a job posting next week!
Holly Schick, SSM Executive Director, announced that with the support of an anonymous donor, SSM is beginning a $4 million initiative that will establish social prescribing focused on older adults (55+) living in 14 communities (rural and urban) over a 4-year time span. SSM is partnering with the Saskatchewan Health Quality Council who will provide expertise in developmental evaluation and data collection throughout the initiative.
Rod McKendrick, C.M., Social Prescribing Coordinator, stated, “Many things affect our health that can’t be treated by doctors or medicine alone – like loneliness, isolation, or stress. Social prescribing is a way for medical professionals to connect individuals to a range of non-clinical services in the community to help improve the health and well-being of older adults. It addresses underlying non-medical causes as it promotes integrated community-based support and care and helps to reduce some of the dependence on health service providers.”
For more information on Social Prescribing and to read the full SSM release visit https://skseniorsmechanism.ca/
Photo L to R: Ashley MacDonald, Wendy Thienes, Mayor Kyle Bennett, Rod McKendrick (SSM), Penny Kirkpatrick, CAO David Hutten