Reduce your pain and reclaim your life from arthritis by signing up for our 6-week Living Well with Arthritis and Related Conditions course. Developed by Stanford University, this award-winning course covers every area of self-management.

You will be equipped with a variety of tools and techniques to help you better manage your condition. Some 6,000 people have successfully completed this course since it was introduced in 2006.. 

1. Is there a course in my area?
2. What does it cost?
3. 10 BIG reasons to sign up today
4. What will I learn on the course?
5. What do past participants say? 

 

 

 

 

 1. Is there a course in my area?

All 2018 courses completed. In 2019 we plan to run courses in the following locations. If you wish to be informed about the course when the schedule ready please email to training@arthritisireland.ie:

 2. What does it cost?

There is a small fee to participate in the workshop which covers a small portion of the cost of providing the programme and provides you with Living a Healthy Life with Cronic Conditions book, an excellent resource written by arthritis specialists Dr. James Fries and Prof. Kate Lorig.

Course fee: full price - €32, discounted price (for medical card holders) - €24 (plus booking fee)

3. 10 BIG reasons to sign up today

1. Reduce your pain
2. Reduce your fatigue
3. Reduce the number of times you need to see your doctor and healthcare team.
4. Understand your arthritis, medication and other treatments
5. Improve your relationship with your doctor and healthcare team
6. Start or improve your exercise regime
7. Improve your mental health
8. Improve your diet
9. Improve your problem solving
10. Learn to set realistic goals and plan to achieve them 

4. What will I learn on the course?

The Living Well with Arthritis and Related Conditions course is taught over a six-week period in weekly 2.5 hour sessions. Each group usually has 18 people and is led by two trained leaders. Most of the leaders have conditions themselves or are health care professionals. They are all interested in helping people with arthritis and related conditions, and have successfully completed a Leader Training Workshop. 

Session One 

• Introduction to the Workshop
• Group Introductions
• The Mind-Body Connection/Distraction
• Getting a Good Night’s Sleep
• Introduction to Action Plans

Session Two

• Feedback/Problem-Solving
• Dealing with Difficult Emotions
• Introduction to Physical Activity and Exercise
• Preventing Falls and Improving Balance
• Making an Action Plan

Session Three

• Feedback
• Making Decisions
• Pain and Fatigue Management
• Endurance Exercise
• Relaxation: Body Scan
• Making an Action Plan

Session Four

• Feedback
• Better Breathing
• Healthy Eating
• Communication Skills
• Problem solving
• Making an Action Plan

Session Five 

• Feedback 
• Making Healthy Food Choices
• Medication Usage
• Making Informed Treatment Decisions
• Positive Thinking
• Making an Action Plan

Session Six 

• Feedback
• Working with Your Health Care Professional and Health Care System
• Weight Management
• Looking Back and Planning for the Future

5. What do past participants say?

Anne-Marie Gannon: “I had just had a new baby when I was diagnosed with arthritis. I was in an awful lot of pain and it got to the stage where I couldn’t even pick my new son up. The Living Well with Arthritis course was a real turning point in my life. It taught me that I was in control of my disease, not the other way around.”

Quentin Carrick:

“Going into the Living Well with Arthritis course I hadn’t had one positive thought for three years. The course changed all that. Instead of focussing on not being able to run five miles, I started concentrating on being able to do a five-minute walk. I now make a weekly action plan and completing it gives me a great feeling of achievement. I also switched to an automatic car which makes driving easier. Previously I would have seen this as giving in. Now I see it as something that can help me function normally.”

Erica Mitchell: “Initially I was worried that everyone on the Living Well with Arthritis course would be way older than me but it wasn’t like that at all. We had a whole spectrum of ages, from 27 up. It was great to be able to speak to others who knew exactly what it was like to be a young person with arthritis.” 

The Scheme to Support National Organisations is funded by the Government of Ireland through the Department of Rural and Community Development.