Alan, aged 78, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Take Five makes people aware of what's happening to them in their lives and importantly helps you understand what might be going on for someone else. It also allows folk a chance to sort of take control

Why did you sign up for Take Five?

I saw it through an Open University alumni newsletter and I thought “I can do this”. I’d been having some ill health for the previous two years and I wanted to take greater control for my health and wellbeing, I particularly wanted to focus on my brain to stay sharp, so I signed up to Think.

Why Think?

I think my physical health is as good as it’s going to be but I’ve got a health condition that means that I don’t retain calcium which is essential for neural signaling in the brain. So, I know I have to work hard to stay sharp and as a former parish minister, I’ve seen too much senility in my job and it’s sad. So, my priority is my brain.

What do you do to stay sharp?

I do the three Glasgow Herald crosswords every day, and I do Sudokus, but one of the big things that Take Five helped me undertake was to return to occasional preaching. I saw that I'd retreated from preaching and things like that and so Take Five got me back involved. I started off just by doing a scripture reading and now I am occasionally preaching a sermon. That requires memory and it’s sociable, my retention isn’t what it used to be but I know it’s a good workout for my brain to preach and connect with the community.

Did you enjoy taking part?

Yes, I didn’t find it too onerous but a good motivation for setting time aside to focus on health. I read every email and looked at the links – there was so much information in those emails, and I really enjoyed reading them and still have them to refer to. That helped me better understand how to self-manage health and improved my confidence. I was doing daily Think actions and have kept them up so I think my mind is a wee bit sharper. Another important step was that I decided to reduce one of my medications and I was eventually able to come off it altogether and the symptoms haven’t come back so that’s felt very positive.

What were some of the important take home messages for you?

I began to recognise myself in quite a lot of the things that were being generally discussed and for me, I think I was better able to recognise who I am and accepting myself for who I am and where I am now. And the health information provided plenty of motivation and rationale for making positive behavioural changes. I think I really absorbed the information and the programme.

Do you think it’s a good idea?

Yep. Absolutely. I think it's an excellent idea. I think it does a couple of things. Firstly, it makes people aware of what's happening to them in their lives and importantly helps you understand what might be going on for someone else. Secondly, it allows folk a chance to sort of take control. And, I think it should be for younger folk who might be saving for their pensions but neglecting to take care of their health for the future. I think it should be a 40th birthday present for everyone – happy birthday, you’re now eligible for Take Five.