What is Live Longer Better?
We are facing a serious health crisis for older people across the country. The over 80s population will double within ten years, with the majority of those aged over 65 likely to experience poor health for more than half of their remaining years. The impact of COVID-19 is exacerbating these issues and makes this an urgent and vitally important problem.
Get Berkshire Active is very proud to be able to work with Sir Muir Gray and his Optimal Ageing Programme to launch a transformational initiative designed to help older people "Live Longer Better." Live Longer Better launched as a partnership between a number of Active Partnerships across the UK, to fully capture the issues faced by older people. By setting up a network with initially a small number of Active Partnerships and with Sir Muir Gray and Optimal Ageing, a powerful collaborative movement can be developed. This will address a population-based personalised system for Living Longer Better and is set to reduce the need for health and social care.
Changing How You Think About Ageing
If you'd like to learn more about ageing and how you can better support older people to be more active there are a variety of opportunities...
1. The Live Longer Better Learning Programme for professionals features 12 online video modules. This nation-wide programme is designed to reset how we all think, and talk, about ageing. It is vital that we spread the word that growing old is not a reason to slow down our mental, physical, and cognitive activity. If, by spreading this training, we can get people to 'drop a decade' in their fitness we can help avert a catastrophe for the NHS and the country.
The programme covers all aspects of ageing, from taking control of medication, the importance of physical and mental activity, through to planning for a better end of life.
An introduction to the programme can be viewed here. Contact kirsty.heath@getberkshireactive.org if you or colleagues are interested in accessing this course.
These is also a version of the course for the public (longer and with more detail). Please consider this for your target audience. We are happy to share a copy of this on request.
2. Get Berkshire Active Live Longer Better Webinars
Online events featuring high calibre speakers with a specific theme. So far we have covered topics including; Dementia, Falls Prevention, Frailty and Going Digital. You can find presentations from previous webinars below. To ensure you hear about future events please sign up to our newsletter here.
3. Helping People Become More Active Workshop
We can all play a part in enabling others to be more active. Whether that's through signposting, discussing benefits or simply encouragement. In this interactive, free, 1 hour, online session, we'll cover the importance and benefits of being active, national guidance and tips, free national resources, local opportunities and positive conversation skills. Participants will receive a free digital resource pack following the session.
To find out more please email admin@getberkshireactive.org
View our Webinars
Supporting people with long-term health conditions to move more (Nov 2025)
April No Falls Day (Apr 2025)
Can we end PJ paralysis in Berkshire? (Mar 2024)
Can you DIG ITal? Yes you can! - The Importance of Going Digital as we Age (Oct 2023)
Preventing and Managing Frailty (Jun 2023)
Webinar Slides
Can you DIG ITal?? (PDF, 13.9 Mb)
Preventing and Managing Frailty (PDF, 8.1 Mb)
Move More = Less Pain Webinar (PDF, 5.2 Mb)Falls Prevention Webinar (PDF, 8.5 Mb)
Dementia Webinar (PDF, 8.4 Mb)
Reconditioning Webinar (PDF, 1.7 Mb)
Recommended Reading
- Research Paper: Int Exercise Recommendations in Older Adults
- Research Paper: Physical Activity Guidelines for Older People.....
- Research Paper: Wider impacts of COVID-19 on physical activity, deconditioning and falls in older people
- UK Active Report: Life in Our Years
- Cochrane Review: Exercise for preventing falls in older people living in the community
- Age UK Report: Impact of Covid-19 on older people's mental and physical health: one year on
For more information about Live Longer Better and to find out how to get involved and achieve transformational change for older people, please contact Kirsty Heath, Healthy Communities Manager
Kirsty Heath
Strategic Lead Physical Activity for Health (Berkshire West)
Kirsty's role focuses on embedding physical activity in health across Berkshire West. With nearly 20 years' experience within the physical activity sector, she holds a BA (Hons) in Sport, Health and Exercise, as well as an MSc in Sports Injury. Her previous roles were in local authority and the NHS, before joining GBA at its inception in 2011. Her sense of purpose has come from personally discovering the benefits of physical activity and she enjoys helping others to access them. Outside of work Kirsty juggles parenting with remaining active, with particular interests including netball, fitness classes and being outdoors.
Talk to Kirsty about:
- Embedding physical activity across the healthcare system
- Partnerships in Health and Social Care
- Safeguarding Adults
- Telephone
- 07394 564540
- kirsty.heath@getberkshireactive.org
