Age UK win funding for collaborative OU Initiative

Age UK has secured funding from the Open Societal Challenges Challenge Us! competition for the next phase of the innovative project run in collaboration with The Open University (OU), Take Five to Age Well. This research initiative, led by Dr Lis Boulton of Age UK and Dr Jitka Vseteckova of the OU, aims to support healthy ageing through sustainable behaviour change in older adults.

The project builds on the success of the pilot run in September 2023, which saw over 3,200 participants from four UK nations engage in the Take Five to Age Well challenge. This initiative encourages participants to adopt small, manageable actions over 30 days, focusing on improving physical activity, fluid intake, healthy eating, cognition, and social connectivity, all while combating loneliness and isolation. The pilot generated significant interest, demonstrating the project's relevance, with over £80,000 in external income generated.

The project team plans to rerun Take Five to Age Well in May 2025, collecting valuable data on how well participants create and maintain their new healthy routines. Age UK and the OU are also exploring ways to expand the programme's reach, particularly among diverse and underserved communities, thanks to collaborations with groups like Age Scotland and the tech start-up Bridgit.

Take Five to Age Well aligns with Age UK's mission of ensuring that every older person feels valued and included and the OU’s broader societal mission to address pressing global challenges.

The funding will be used to enhance the programme’s resources, including toolkits to support intergenerational pledging, a web-based app, and partnerships with corporate sponsors. The project is expected to have a long-lasting impact, helping thousands of older adults improve their health and well-being.

Age UK is the leading charity working to support older people in the UK, offering crucial services and advocating for policy changes to improve the lives of the ageing population.

The success of Take Five to Age Well reflects the growing demand for initiatives that empower older people to take control of their health, via learning about the ways in which we can all age well, and the Challenge Us! funding award is a vital step in ensuring the programme’s continued growth and success.