What is social prescribing?
Social prescribing connects people to non-clinical support in their community — such as interest groups, exercise classes, volunteering, arts, learning and practical advice — to improve health and well-being. It recognises that many things that affect our health, such as loneliness, money worries or a lack of social contact, cannot be solved by medicine alone.
How it works
- Identify — a health or social care worker notices that a person's well-being is affected by non-medical needs, such as isolation.
- Connect — the person is referred to a link worker (or community navigator) who takes time to understand what matters to them.
- Plan together — they co-create a personal plan and find suitable community activities and services.
- Follow up — the link worker supports the person as they take part and reviews progress over time.
Why it matters for older adults
For older adults at risk of social frailty, social prescribing offers a structured way to rebuild connection, confidence and a sense of belonging — and to strengthen the community relationships and support systems needed to thrive.
Our work
We are exploring how social prescribing can be adapted to Hong Kong's communities and how it can reduce social disconnection among older adults. Updates will be shared in News & Publications.