Social Prescribing for Caregivers

We are fostering understanding and adoption of social prescribing for caregivers across Canada by supporting emerging caregiver focused social prescribing initiatives, building robust evidence through research and evaluation, developing evidence-informed resources, tools and best practice guides, and building capacity to support widespread implementation.

Caregivers play a crucial role in supporting, sustaining, and advocating for the health and wellness of their loved ones. Unfortunately, this responsibility often comes at the cost of their own well-being.

Canada is currently facing a caregiving crisis, with one in four Canadians serving as caregivers and one in two likely to become one. Over one-third of unpaid caregivers report experiencing distress, including anger, depression, and the inability to continue caregiving.

Social prescribing, an intentional and supportive pathway to bridge health and social care, is a valuable tool to address the challenges faced by caregivers. By empowering caregivers through person-centred and co-creative approaches, social prescribing can help to provide information and advice, foster new connections to social supports and services and enhance access to community programs and networks.

Social prescribing enables healthcare providers to identify caregivers experiencing social needs affecting their physical and mental health and their role as a caregiver and then refer them to dedicated navigators.

1 in 4

Canadians serve as caregivers

1 in 2

Canadians likely to become a caregiver

Over 1/3

Unpaid caregivers report experiencing distress

The navigators focus on what matters to the caregiver and connect them with non-medical resources, such as social activities, exercise programs, support groups and arts initiatives accordingly to improve overall wellbeing.

Strengthening Care:
A Toolkit for Caregiver-Focused Social Prescribing

Download Caregiver Toolkit

This toolkit equips organizations and professionals in the caregiver sector with the knowledge and strategic communication tools needed to effectively convey the value of social prescribing. It provides a clear overview of social prescribing, tailored key messages for different audiences, and practical guidance on fostering partnerships, strengthening referral pathways, and integrating social prescribing into caregiver support systems.

How to Use It

Engage key stakeholders – Use the toolkit’s key messages and insights to effectively communicate with caregivers, healthcare providers, and community organizations, fostering a shared understanding of social prescribing.
Strengthen partnerships – Build relationships with healthcare providers, community organizations, and social prescribing link workers to create a more connected and accessible referral network.
Support implementation efforts – Integrate the toolkit’s communication strategies into caregiver programs, training, and advocacy to improve awareness, accessibility, and adoption of social prescribing.
Facilitate knowledge-sharing – Leverage the toolkit’s resources to educate colleagues, caregivers, and decision-makers about the role of social prescribing in enhancing caregiver well-being and strengthening community support.

Our Projects

In collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE), CISP is convening a Pan-Canadian Social Prescribing Initiative to Improve the well-being of caregivers across the Country. With a $1.8 million investment over two years, CISP is working closely with Caregivers Alberta, Caregivers Nova Scotia, Family Caregivers of British Columbia, and the Ontario Caregiver Organization to develop and expand social prescribing initiatives tailored to the specific needs of each province.

CISP is partnering with The Campbell collaboration to conduct a systematic review on assessing the Effects of Social Prescribing on caregivers of older adults. This review aims to surface gaps in existing practices, identify opportunities for future initiatives, and provide insights on the development of future policies, programs, and best practices.