Living Well programme
Living with a long-term health condition can be challenging.
The Living Well programme is a free 6-week self-management programme for adults with chronic or long-term health conditions. It gives you the skills and confidence to live well with your long-term health condition.
Living Well is a self-management resource centre evidence-based self-management programme originally developed at Stanford University.
Who the Living Well programme is for
Living Well is for people aged 18 and over.
It is suitable for you if you are:
- living with a long-term health conditions
- caring for someone with a long-term health condition
Living Well is not suitable if you have significant memory or learning difficulties.
What we mean by self management
Self-management is what you have to do every day to look after your long-term health condition.
For example:
- making healthy lifestyle changes, like being active, eating healthily, and not smoking
- taking prescribed medicine
- monitoring your symptoms
- dealing with your emotions about your health
- talking to the health care professionals who look after you
What to expect from the programme
The Living Well programme may be online or in person. If it is online you can get support to do it online if you need it.
Your Living Well programme will:
- run weekly for 6 weeks
- be for 2.5 hours each week
- be run by 2 trained leaders - at least 1 lives with a long-term health condition
- have a relaxed and friendly environment
- be a group of people with different health conditions
You will receive a book about self-management.
What is covered each week
A key part of Living Well is setting goals that you want to achieve. Each week you learn how to reach these goals by making an action plan. You also get support from the group to problem solve.
Week 1
- Using your mind to manage symptoms.
- Fatigue (extreme tiredness) and getting a good night’s sleep.
- Introduction to action plans.
Week 2
- Dealing with difficult emotions.
- Physical activity, exercise and preventing falls.
Week 3
- Decision making.
- Pain management.
- Healthy eating.
Week 4
- Breathing techniques.
- Reading food labels.
- Communicating skills.
Week 5
- Managing your medicines
- Positive thinking, dealing with low mood and feelings of depression.
Week 6
- Making informed treatment decisions.
- Planning for the future.
Join a Living Well programme
If you want to join this programme or need more information, contact your local Living Well team. They will let you know about the next available programme. Your GP/Doctor can also refer you to your local Living Well Team using an e-Referral system called Healthlink. Please discuss this with your Practice Nurse or GP. The contact details for your local Living Well team is listed below.
Living Well programme contacts
If your county is not listed please contact the team closest to you.
Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Monaghan, Sligo
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Fiona Doherty
Phone: 087 180 0286
Email: livingwell.nw@hse.ie
Mayo, Galway, Roscommon
Date: Tuesday 14 October 2025 to Tuesday 18 November 2025
Time: 10am to 12.30pm
Location: Castlerea, Co Roscommon - Community & Family Resource Centre
Date: Monday 13 October 2025 to Monday 17 November 2025
Time: 7pm to 9.30pm
Location: Online
Date: Wednesday 5 November 2025 to Wednesday 10 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Online
Date: Thursday 6 November 2025 to Thursday 11 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Swinford, Co Mayo
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Fiona Cunnane
Phone: 087 718 5615
Email: fcunnane@southmayo.com
Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary
Date: Tuesday 4 November to Tuesday 9 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: St. Munchins, Ballynanty, Limerick City
Date: Wednesday 5 November 2025 to Wednesday 10 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Ennis Primary Care Centre, Ennis, Co. Clare
Date: Thursday 6 November 2025 to Thursday 11 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Patrickswell Community Centre, Co. Limerick
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Philip Hennessy
Phone: 087 179 9396
Email: philip.hennessy2@hse.ie
Cork, Kerry
Date: Thursday 9 October 2025 to Thursday 13 November 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Clonakilty Primary Care Centre
Date: Monday 3 November 2025 to Monday 8 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Westfield Integrated Care Centre, Ballincollig
Date: Tuesday 4 November to Tuesday 9 December 2025
Time: 10am to 12.30pm
Location: Online
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Gemma Kingston
Phone: 083 149 8593
Email: Gemmakingston@familyresource.ie
Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, South Tipperary
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Matthew Power
Phone: 087 498 8966
Email: Matthew.Power@hse.ie
Dublin South East, Dun Laoghaire, Wicklow
For information on the Living Well programme please contact:
Contact: Triona McNamee
Phone: 087 405 3880
Email: LivingWell.DublinSouthWicklow@hse.ie
Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Louth and Meath
Date: Thursday 30 October 2025 to Thursday 11 December 2025
Time: 2.30pm to 5pm
Location: Online via webex
Date: Tuesday 4 November to Tuesday 16 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Online via webex
Date: Wednesday 5 November 2025 to Wednesday 10 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Ardee county Library, Co. Louth
Date: Thursday 6 November 2025 to Thursday 18 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Online via webex
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Aine McNamee
Phone: 041 685 0676
Email: aine.mcnamee@hse.ie
Contact: Elaine Duffy
Phone: 041 686 0710
Dublin North City and County
Date: Wednesday 8 October 2025 to Wednesday 19 November 2025
Time: 2.30pm to 5pm
Location: Online via Zoom
Date: Wednesday 29 October 2025 to Wednesday 3 December 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Coolock Primary Care, Cromcastle Road, Kilmore, Dublin 5, D05 V026
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Leah Harrington
Phone: 087 365 4392
Email: LivingWellDNCC@hse.ie
Feedback on the programme
People who have done the programme say that they feel more confident and in control of their health. They also report that their mood has improved and they have better sleep.
"I met wonderful people with other illnesses and this made me feel ‘not alone’ which helped me emotionally.”
“It made me more aware of my habits and gave me the tools to make positive changes”.
“My confidence has increased and I feel I am now able to manage my condition better”.
HSE Health Matters Living Well Testimonial Winter 2022 (PDF, size 325 KB, 1 page)
Podcast
Listen to a podcast episode about the programme. It’s the fifth episode of the podcast series and is available on the links below.
Living Well Programme - podbean.com
Living Well Programme (HSE Health and Wellbeing YouTube Channel)
Promotional material for health professionals
Contact your local coordinator for printed supplies of any promotional material.
This project has received funding from the Government of Ireland’s Slaintecare Integration Fund 2019 under grant agreements 38, 78, 185, 219, 413, 418.