Living Well is a free, 6 –week group self-management programme for adults with long-term health conditions. Originally designed as a face-to-face programme, it adapted to an on-line offering during COVID 19, which proved popular with HSE service users.
“I feel more in control of my illness now, having learnt a number of self-management skills”, Living Well Participant.
Between August 2020 and December 2021, 1600 people participated on the Living Well programme. Interim Research results to date for the online programme indicate that it is having the same well-documented benefits as the in person programme and that the programme is making a difference in helping people to self-manage their long-term health condition. With the expansion of chronic disease management as part of the Enhanced Community Care programme, Living Well is ideally positioned to support people to self-manage their long-term health condition. As the pandemic restrictions have eased, it is hoped that in person programmes will resume while online delivery is set to continue, given its success.
Having a long-term health condition usually brings change to a person’s life and it can be hard to manage these changes. The Living Well programme supports people to develop the confidence and skills, which will help them to live well and to better self-manage their condition(s).
What does Living Well involve?
- The free Living Well programme runs online for six weeks. There is one workshop each week, which lasts 2.5 hours
- Two trained leaders run the workshops. At least one of the leaders lives with a long-term health condition (peer)
- There will be up to twelve people taking part in the group. People taking part in the workshops may or may not have the same health condition(s)
- The workshops are delivered in a relaxed and friendly way so that all participants can learn from each other. Participants can also share experiences of living with a long-term health condition(s)
- Each person who takes part gets a book about self-management
- If required, support is given to help people get online and to stay online.
Who can join the Living Well programme?
Living Well is for adults aged 18 years and over. It is suitable for those:
- living with one or more long-term health conditions
- caring for someone with a long-term health condition
It is not suitable however, for people with significant memory or learning difficulties.
CLICK HERE.. for more information about Living Well programmes starting in March and contact details for your local Living Well team.
