Build meaningful activities and social connection

Rebecca Hass and Tammy Turner share several social prescribing initiatives and projects inspired by global models and research on the health benefits of meaningful activities and social connection.

Humans are social; however, we are in an epidemic of loneliness. Social prescribing is a model of care that empowers health professionals to formally prescribe non-clinical community activities, like the arts, movement, nature, and service (volunteering) to improve patient health. Social prescribing is intended to broaden the health professionals' toolkits rather than to replace pharmacological measures. Libraries can be part of that toolkit. 

Join Rebecca Hass and Tammy Turner as they share several social prescribing initiatives and projects inspired by global models and research on the health benefits of meaningful activities and social connection.

Rebecca will present examples of community health partner initiatives and projects including Healing Library Kit: Death of a Loved One and take a deeper dive into the successes and challenges experienced at Maryland’s Anne Arundel County Public Library and their work with Tammy Turner, including Annapolis Pediatrics, Hospice of the Chesapeake, and Care Prepared.

You’ll leave this session with not only an understanding of the growing trend of social prescribing but also with ideas of ways to integrate library usage into our communities’ well-being tools.