Award-winning course for people with arthritis to run in Mountmellick

A six-week self-management course to help people living with arthritis will commence in Mountmellick on Wednesday 28 August.

                The Living Well with Arthritis course gives people with arthritis the tools and techniques to help them better manage their condition. The award-winning course will be held in Mountmellick Youth and Community Family Resource Centre and costs €35 for the six weeks. A discounted rate is available for medical card holders. Classes run on Wednesdays from 6.00pm-8.30pm.

                The course is suitable for people with any form of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, or related conditions like fibromyalgia or lupus.

                Previous participants on the course have reported that it helped decrease their pain, reduced their reliance on health professionals and medication, and improved their overall sense of well-being.

                Participants learn about pain and fatigue management; healthy lifestyle and the importance of healthy eating; dealing with negative emotions; and exercise techniques for weak and damaged joints.

                Bronwen Maher, Services Manager, Arthritis Ireland, said: “This programme was developed by Stanford University and has been proven to be an essential part of effective arthritis treatment. After completing the course, people are able to do things that they couldn’t before, they experience improvements in their mobility, mood and in their quality of life.”

                A previous course participant commented: “While my friends and family support me, I don’t think they really understand what it’s like to live with a chronic illness. Many of the people who attended the course will tell you they didn’t require support, myself included. What we did need was the skills to manage living with a chronic illness.”

                Developed by Stanford University, some 6,500 people have successfully completed the Living Well with Arthritis course since it was introduced here in 2006 by Arthritis Ireland.

                Places are limited on the course. To book, visit the Arthritis Ireland website, www.arthritisireland.ie, phone 01 647 0206 or email training@arthritisireland.ie.