The ‘Take Five to Age Well’ initiative, launched by The Open University’s Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS), is a UK-wide public health campaign designed to empower individuals of any age to embrace healthier lifestyles. This campaign encourages participants to commit to a month of simple, evidence-based habits aimed at enhancing physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
The Five Pillars of Ageing Well
At the core of the campaign are the ‘Five Pillars of Ageing Well’, developed by a Senior Lecturer in Health and Social Care at the OU. These five pillars are:
- Eat: Prioritising balanced nutrition.
- Drink: Maintaining adequate hydration.
- Move: Engaging in regular physical activity.
- Connect: Fostering social interactions.
- Engage and Think: Stimulating the mind through creative and cognitive activities.
Participants are encouraged to incorporate these pillars into their daily routines, aiming to establish lasting habits that contribute to healthy ageing.
Here’s a variety of simple activities that can help promote healthy habits across physical, mental and social wellbeing:
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1 Eat – Support your body with good nutrition
- Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day.
- Swap one processed snack per day for a healthier option, like nuts or yogurt.
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2 Drink – Stay properly hydrated
- Start each day with a glass of water.
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3 Move – Keep your body active
- Take a brisk walk each day.
- Try chair-based exercises or stretching.
- Do balance exercises, like standing on one leg while brushing your teeth.
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4 Connect – Strengthen social relationships
- Engage with someone every day.
- Participate in community events or groups, if possible.
- Write a letter to someone.
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5 Engage and Think – Stimulate your brain
- Read for 20 minutes daily.
- Do puzzles, such as crosswords, Sudoku or jigsaw puzzles.
- Try creative hobbies, like drawing, writing or origami.
- Practice mindfulness.
Tips for your actions
Make it specific: choose an action and make sure it’s quantifiable. For instance, you may want to eat five pieces of fruit or vegetables a day, or cut down to eight units of alcohol, or walk for 30 minutes every day. Whatever it is – make sure you can measure it.
Make it achievable: you know yourself better than anyone – choose actions that are challenging but attainable. Remember, you need to do this every day so make sure it’s something you will be able to do.
So, whether you're sipping more water, hopping on one foot whilst brushing your teeth, or mastering the fine art of origami, the Take Five to Age Well project is all about making small changes that add up to a healthier, happier you. Ageing well doesn’t have to mean overhauling your life – it just takes five simple steps and a little commitment. So go on – take five, feel better, and enjoy the journey.
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