Five Ways to Wellbeing

Taking steps towards living well

Five Ways to Wellbeing

Taking steps towards living well

A Renewal and Recovery Programme 2022-2025 structured around the Five Ways to WellbeingCovid-19 pandemic has hit our local communities hard and in particular our target groups – socially isolated older people 60 years+ living alone on low income from highly diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. During the Pandemic these marginalised groups were at high risk of becoming even more lonely and disadvantaged as a result of prolonged self-isolation and the consequences of contracting the virus. As the Government has implemented a gradual relaxation of lockdown restrictions so we must ensure that our most isolated and marginalised older people are not left behind whilst the rest of society returns to a new near normal world.

We have expanded our outreach work and doubled the size of our staff team so that we can reach out into the wider community to engage with as many older people from the high risk categories as possible drawing upon the knowledge and resources from our established local networks of delivery and supporting partner organisations. We have decided after piloting the idea to launch a new programme in April 2022 based upon the 5 Ways to Wellbeing orignally developed by the new economics foundation Adopting a holistic approach to tackle social, health and economic inequalities is not new to our charity but structuring it around the Five Ways of Wellbeing is and will enable us to develop a greater focus and clarity around our overarching and most important outcome- older peoples well-being- that is about feeling good and functioning well. Experiencing positive relation- ships, having some control over your life and having a sense of purpose are all important elements of wellbeing.

Five Ways to Wellbeing
  • Connect
  • be Active
  • keep Learning
  • be Mindful
  • Help Others

The Third Age Project Renewal and Recovery Programme is structured around the Five Ways to Wellbeing

Positive Connections

Promoting participation & inclusion​

Encouraging new social friendship networks

Be Active

Take part in regular physical activity​​

Discover a physical activity you enjoy​​

Keep Learning

You are never too old to learn something new​

Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving​

Be Mindful

Be aware of the world around you​​

Reflect on rich life experiences​

Help Others

Volunteer your time in helping others​

Take on active roles to Shape your community​

5 Ways Image

A holistic approach to renewal and recovery will enable our users to achieve the following outcomes:

  • Reduced social isolation & loneliness
  • Improved general mental health & wellbeing
  • Increased physical fitness
  • Enhanced status through volunteering
5 Ways Image

1. Positive connections

Promoting participation & inclusion

Encouraging new social friendship networks

  • With the people around you
  • With family and friends, colleagues and neighbours
  • At home, or your local community
  • Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them
  • Building these connections will support and enrich you every day
  • Walking Clubs provide excellent opportunities to meet others and make new friends.
  • Chat Rooms became important ways of connecting with others during lockdown periods or when self-isolating.
  • Digital Inclusion initiatives enabled isolated older people to acquire new skills and take advantage of our free digital tablet loan scheme to connect to others.

2. Be active

Take part in regular physical activity​

Discover a physical activity you enjoy​

  • Go for a walk or run
  • Step outside
  • Cycle
  • Play a game
  • Garden
  • Dance
  • Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy that suits your level of mobility and fitness
  • Exercising makes you feel good

We run a popular 60+ Health Club with physical exercise and activities to suit every level of ability and interest.

  • Seated Exercise
  • Aerobics
  • Outdoor Gym
  • Bollywood Dance
  • Line Dancing

3. Keep Learning

You are never too old to learn something new

Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving

  • Try something new
  • Rediscover an old interest
  • Sign up for that course
  • Take on a different responsibility at work
  • Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food
  • Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving
  • Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun

We deliver a wide and varied programme of community adult learning programmes including:

  • Creative Crafts
  • Art and Drawing
  • Health Talks
  • Drama Classes

4. Be mindful

Be aware of the world around you​

Reflect on rich life experiences

  • Be curious
  • Catch sight of the beautiful
  • Remark on the unusual
  • Notice the changing seasons
  • Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends
  • Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling
  • Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you

We run a wide range of mindful activities including:

  • Gentle yoga
  • Tai Chi
  • Mindfulness
  • Relaxation Techniques

5. Help Others

Volunteer your time in helping others

Take on active roles to Shape your community

  • Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger
  • Thank someone
  • Smile
  • Volunteer your time
  • Join a community group
  • Look out as well as in
  • Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you

We nurture a strong self-help ethos and support older people to take on many key volunteering roles within the charity and outside in the wider community.

  • Volunteer Befrienders
  • Digital Buddies
  • Volunteer teachers
  • Welcome Hosts and Escorts