Living Well is free, evidence based, group, self-management programme for adults with long-term health conditions. Originally developed at the School of Medicine, Stanford University, USA, this Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme has been available in Ireland since 2005 under various names.
The Living Well programme supports participants to develop the skills which will help them to self-manage and to live well with their long-term health condition(s).
What does Living Well involve?
• It involves attending one workshop every week for six weeks. Each workshop lasts 2.5 hours
• It is typically delivered in a face to face setting but during the Covid-19 restrictions period it will be delivered online
• Two trained facilitators run the workshops, one of which lives with a long-term health condition
• The workshops are delivered in a relaxed and friendly way
• Each person who takes part gets a book about self-management
• Each participant will be invited to engage with a research project which is evaluating the impact of the programme.
Who is Living Well for?
Living Well is for adults 18 years and over who are:
• living with one or more long-term health conditions or
• caring for someone with a long-term health condition.
The Living Well programme is not suitable for people with significant memory or learning difficulties but the carers of people with these conditions could benefit from it.
What is covered each week?
A key part of Living Well is setting goals. Each week participants learn how to reach these goals by making an action plan. They also get support from the group to problem solve. In addition, the following are covered:
Week 1 Using your mind to manage symptoms
Fatigue and getting a good night’s sleep
Introduction to action plans
Week 2 Dealing with difficult emotions
Physical activity, exercise, preventing falls
Week 3 Decision making
Pain management
Healthy eating
Week 4 Better breathing
Reading food labels
Communication skills
Week 5 Medication management
Positive thinking, dealing with low mood and feelings of depression
Week 6 Making informed treatment decisions
Planning for the future
For more information please see the HSE website & short video below