New Tipperary programme on living well with various health conditions to start next week

A group programme, in which participants will  learn over six weekly sessions about living well with a long term health condition, beings in Tipperary on Thursday 28th March.

Taking place in the Three Drives Family Resource Centre, Tipperary Town and catering for those aged over 18 that are living with one or more long term health condition – or adults caring for them, it will be a “community led” programme and all of the trained tutors have long term health conditions themselves or are carers for someone who has.

The long term conditions being addressed includes but are not limited to Diabetes, Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Stroke, Heart Failure, Arthritis, Crohn’s, Colitis, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, and Depression.

The initiative is a collaboration between HSE/South East Community Healthcare and the South East Family Resource Centres, the Disability Federation of Ireland,  Multiple Sclerosis Ireland, Muscular Dystrophy Ireland, Diabetes Ireland, Asthma Society of Ireland, Irish Heart Foundation, COPD Ireland, Irish Society for Colitis and Crohns, Cluain Training and Enterprise Centre and Chronic Pain Ireland.

The programme (which is licenced and designed by Stanford University, California, USA) commenced in Newpark Close Family Resource Centre in Kilkenny at the beginning of March and will be starting in April in Sacred Heart Family Resource Centre, Waterford City and at South West Wexford Family Resource Centre, New Ross, Co Wexford. A Final programme will be held in Bagnelstown Family Resource Centre, Co Carlow in May.

The Tipperary group starts on Thursday Saturday 28th March at 10am (finishing at 12.30pm) in the Three Drives Family Resource Centre, Tipperary Town. Participants can self-refer and book a place by ringing the Centre on (062) 80831 or online via Eventbrite https://livingwell-tipp.eventbrite.ie. The Programme costs just €20, which covers the six sessions and a course handbook.

Kate O Connor (Self- management Support Co-ordinator for Chronic Conditions for HSE/South East Community Healthcare), in looking forward to the Tipperary programme getting under way says:

“People living with long term health care conditions can experience emotional, physical and psychological challenges. These can include pain, fatigue, anxiety, anger, fear of exercising, fear of the future, helplessness, isolation and feeling poorly understood.

These can be barriers to carrying out the daily tasks required to manage one or more long term health conditions. I welcome this programme, which focuses on dealing with these challenges and enables participants to action plan and problem solve.”

Each programme will be run over six weeks with one workshop per week. Each workshop lasts two and a half hours including a break, where tea and coffee will be provided. There is a maximum of 18 per group. Participants will have an opportunity to meet others living with or caring for someone with a long term health condition in a relaxed and enjoyable environment. Friendly and welcoming tutors will create a safe space for learning and sharing experiences.

This programme is financed by a Lottery grant from South East Community Healthcare (HSE). The programme is being managed by Arthritis Ireland, who have over 12 years’ experience of delivering the Stanford Self -Management Programme. The five programmes in the South East will be evaluated in partnership with the Centre for Health Behaviour Research at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT).