From 1st May, The Open University and Age UK are launching a free, UK-wide public health campaign: Take Five to Age Well. The campaign invites you to join a community of people making small daily changes for better ageing across 5 action categories: Eat, Drink, Move, Connect, and Engage and Think. You sign up online and choose an action to try everyday in May. During the month the team at the Open University sends out emails with fun facts, tips, games and resources to help you keep going.
Everyone wants more time on Earth in good health and the science indicates almost all of us, regardless of our genes, can systematically do things to improve our chances of a longer and healthier life. We don't have a choice about whether we age or not but we do have a choice about how we age. There are simple habits that can help us keep strong, sharp, independent, and feeling good; Take Five to Age Well aims to empower people to adopt these habits over a month long period and beyond.
There are 5 areas where you can choose new habits:
- Eat
- Drink
- Move
- Connect and Engage
- Think
Tips for your actions
Make it specific: choose an action and make sure it's quantifiable - for instance, you may want to eat 5 pieces of fruit or vegetables a day or cut down to 8 units of alcohol or walk for 30 minutes everyday. 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 everyday so make sure it's something you will be able to do.
Developed by The Open University, Take Five to Age Well is based on the successful Ageing Well Public Talk Series and its Five Pillars for Ageing Well. We are working in partnership with Age UK and have support from many other charities and organisations supporting healthy ageing. The campaign will last for 30 days and we will collect information about how people create and follow up new routines and habits.
By taking part to age better participants will become role models for current and future generations.
SIGN UP HERE TODAY!