What is Social Prescribing?
Social prescribing is the practice of health professionals, including GPs, using resources and infrastructure to link patients with social activities in their community in an effort to address the social determinants contributing to poor health and tackle the epidemic of loneliness and social isolation in modern communities.
A health practitioner can help someone with a chronic health condition who is socially isolated, by linking them with, for example, a local walking group to enjoy the benefits of exercise and build their sense of connection to others. A key aspect of social prescribing is providing support with accessing the ‘social prescription’.
Social prescribing often involves a person thinking through their strengths, interests and goals with a link worker who has a good understanding of the options available in their local community.
Singing for Health
Singing can be particularly effective for improving mental health and wellbeing, and combatting loneliness and isolation.
Our Singing for Health choir enabled participating adults living with chronic health issues to become better engaged within their community.
Regular participants progressively improved their physical health through breathing, a major part of singing, and also their mental health through socialisation and opportunities to overcome personal fears, and anxieties.
The program was expertly led by a music therapist who incorporated a client-centred approach with skills to enhance participants engagement.
The Singing for Health program was funded by the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR) and the Circle Foundation engaged four occupational therapy students from the University of Canberra to evaluate the project.
Singing for Health Program - Evaluation Report
What participants said they gained from being a member of our Singing for Health Choir -
“Breathing chest expansion and gained a greater sense of uplifting.”
“A positive step towards socialisation. Normally socialisation terrifies me all the time.”
“Gained a sense of engagement and relaxation through group participation, without an expectation of individual engagement.”
“It lightened my mood and lifted me a bit and connected with other people doing the same activity.”