By: Kirsten Millar
Nova Scotians in rural communities often face barriers in accessing the care and services to help with living a healthy life. But, a rural community-based non-profit organization in the Eastern Shore and Musquodoboit Valley area is addressing this issue by redefining healthcare accessibility and support. The Well-Being HUB, born from the vision of community leaders and healthcare professionals alike, has emerged to fill gaps in care.
Operating based on community input, the Well-Being HUB’s mission is to create a network of community members and healthcare providers working collaboratively to provide the right care and support to empower residents to take charge of their mental, physical and spiritual health.
The Well-Being HUB began as an idea in 2019 and in 2021 the project received financial support from the Innovation Catalyst Fund to help propel their efforts forward.
“The Innovation Catalyst Fund helps people develop new ideas that create meaningful change, and it has been amazing to see this community-driven initiative grow and benefit many Nova Scotians,” says Eric Fisher, Business Development Manager, Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub.
Through a collaborative effort between Nova Scotia Health, the Old School Community Gathering Place, the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub and various other community partners, the Well-Being HUB has grown into a meaningful, collaborative non-profit organization.
“This partnership has been a great fit. The Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub provided the evaluation help we needed, and they understand our vision,” says Roberta Duchesne, Director of Community and Rural Sites, Central Zone, Nova Scotia Health. “We’re creating this on the fly, and that’s the Health Innovation Hub’s style.”
The services provided through the Well-Being HUB are created based on the needs of the community. “We began with a focus on aging in place and care for seniors, and we’ve expanded our services into mental wellness,” says Lesley Magee, Project Coordinator, the Well-Being HUB.
The Well-Being HUB offers three main services: a Navigation service, coordination and hosting of workshops and events, and peer support, including the Visiting Buddies program.
The Navigation service supports community members through social prescribing, helping people access resources, navigate systems and connect with necessary care and supports. There are currently two navigators working with the Well-Being HUB. Visiting Buddies, their volunteer visitor program, connects volunteers with isolated older adults for social outings and assistance. And the volunteer team is expanding to provide other forms of mental wellness peer support.
“Some of our workshops focus on health promotion, but others focus on social connections,” says Magee. “We host events like paint nights, chair yoga, fall prevention sessions – there’s a broad range of topics covered but it’s really about what the people are looking for.”
“Our model is built so that the average member of any community can participate,” says Denise VanWychen, Community Health Board Coordinator, Patient and Public Engagement, Nova Scotia Health. “We empower every community member to shape our organization's direction through working groups. This flexibility ensures quick response to community needs, which can be rare in traditional organization setups.”
The Well-Being HUB has grown substantially since its inception, and they hope to continue to adapt to serve the needs of the community. “The next pillar we hope to address is chronic disease, specifically social prescribing. And we hope to strengthen our relationships and collaborations with the primary care teams in our catchment area,” says Magee.
As the Well-Being HUB continues to evolve, it serves as an example of how connected communities will improve health and well-being for all.
