Living Well programme – A programme for adults with long-term health conditions
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:
Fiona Doherty
Phone: 087 180 0286
livingwell.nw@hse.ie
Mayo, Galway, Roscommon
Date: Tuesday 20th May 2025 to Tuesday 24th June 2025
Time: 10.30 am - 1 pm
Location: Bangor Erris, Co Mayo (Parish Hall)
Date: Friday 9th May 2025 to Friday 13th June 2025
Time: 10.30 am – 1 pm
Location: Ballinasloe, Social Services Centre
Date: Monday 16th June 2025 to Monday 21st July 2025
Time: 10.30 am – 1 pm
Location: Tuam, The Grove
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Fiona Cunnane
Phone:087 718 5615
fcunnane@southmayo.com
Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary
Date: Tuesday 10th June 2025 to Tuesday 15th July 2025
Time: 10.30am-1pm
Location: Ennis Primary Care Centre, Ennis, Co. Clare
Date: Wednesday 11th June 2025 to Wednesday 16th July 2025
Time: 10.30am-1pm
Location: Southill Hub, Limerick City
Date: Thursday 12th June 2025 to Thursday 17th July 2025
Time: 10.30am-1pm
Location: Kilmallock, Co. Limerick
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Philip Hennessy
Phone: 087 179 9396
philip.hennessy2@hse.ie
Cork, Kerry
For information on the Living Well programme please contact:
Contact: Maeve Carmody
maeveh.carmody@hse.ie
Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Carlow, South Tipperary
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Matthew Power
Phone: 087 4988966
Matthew.Power@hse.ie
Dublin South East, Dun Laoghaire, Wicklow
Date: Tuesday 13 May 2025 to Tuesday 24 June 2025
Time: 7pm to 9.30pm
Location: Online
Date: Thursday 22 May 2025 to Thursday 26 June 2025
Time: 10.30am to 1pm
Location: Sallynoggin Youth and Community Facility
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Triona McNamee
Phone: 087 405 3880
Email: livingwellcheast@hse.ie
Dublin South, Kildare & West Wicklow
For information on the Living Well programme please contact:
Contact: Mary-Rose Cunningham
Phone: 087 432 0202
maryrose.cunningham@hse.ie
Laois, Offaly, Longford, Westmeath, Louth and Meath
Date: Tuesday 6th May 2025 to Tuesday 10th June 2025
Time: 10:30am - 1:00pm
Location: Barbican Centre, Drogheda, Co. Louth
Date: Wednesday 7th May 2025 to Wednesday 11th June 2025
Time: 10:30am - 1:00pm
Location: Oak Centre, Dunboyne, Co. Meath
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Aine McNamee
Phone: 041 6850676
aine.mcnamee@hse.ie
Contact: Elaine Duffy
Phone: 041 6860710
Dublin North City and County
For information on upcoming programmes please contact:
Contact: Leah Harrington
Phone: 087 365 4392
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.
Living Well Programme - podbean.com
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.