New toolkit to encourage wellbeing across generations

A new toolkit has been launched to promote positive wellbeing across generations. Based on both previous research into ageing and the online campaign to take the Take Five to Age Well Pledge, the Live Well Together toolkit provides various activities for all ages to complete together.

The activities in the toolkit are based around five areas to build new habits which reflect the principles shown in the ‘Five Pillars for Ageing Well’ model which are to eat; drink; move; connect and engage; and think. Users of the toolkit will be able to score themselves against these when completing the activities.

Dr Jitka Vseteckova, the Project Lead said:

“Building new habits together while also having fun means practically that we are more likely to stick to them. We have co-designed and co-produced this toolkit to provide activities and challenges designed to help everyone make small changes together that make a big difference and help us all become healthier and happier.”

Funded by the Hallmark Foundation, co-designed & co-produced with Campaign for Learning, a nation-wide charity and leader for National Centre for Family, and University of Bedfordshire, the toolkit aims to boost mental health and wellbeing, reduce isolation, strengthen relationships and promote knowledge and skill sharing.

Dr Vseteckova said “Via the toolkit we aim to support older participants in developing and keeping healthy habits as well as engaging younger generations with healthier living habits. The co-produced toolkit aims to enable and empower families to pledge together, whereby children together with their parents, grandparents/ older family members, learn, have fun and foster healthy behaviours across the lifespan.”

Juliette Collier, national director at Campaign for Learning said: “We hope the ‘Live Well Together’ activities will encourage generations of all ages to build new habits to help them live well. When we learn together, we develop empathy and understanding and are more likely to be motivated to make positive changes. These can make a real difference to how we feel and improve our future health and happiness.”

Dr Vseteckova added: “The most important thing is to enjoy choosing activities and challenges to do together, talking about which things you want to try and just giving them a go! “