A new wellness programme for Carlow people with chronic illness will get underway next month at Institute of Technology Carlow.
ExWell Medical, a community-based chronic illness rehabilitation programme, has partnered with the Department of Health Sciences at IT Carlow to launch special exercise classes at the college for 12 weeks from March 1st.
ExWell Medical offers community-based supervised exercise classes, as well as home programmes, to people with many different long-term illnesses including heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, neurological conditions, stroke, and mild to moderate depression / anxiety. Participants will be encouraged to become fit and active in a friendly, safe and enjoyable environment.
The programme taking place at IT Carlow is funded by Sport Ireland through the Local Sports Partnerships and aims to improve quality of life, strength, mobility and aerobic fitness of participants, building confidence and optimism.
Participants must be referred to the programme by a GP, hospital consultant, allied health professional or social prescriber. Anyone with a long-term illness is welcome to try it.
ExWell Medical has been delivering classes since 2006 in various locations across Ireland. This is its first initiative in Carlow. ExWell founder and medical director, Dr Noel McCaffrey commented, “We are delighted to bring the ExWell programme to Carlow and to be part of a really exciting project funded and supported by Sport Ireland and the Local Sports Partnerships. We are particularly keen to invite people who sometimes struggle to avail of health services to give it a try. We have lots of evidence that the programme works. It tackles the deconditioning, which contributes so much to chronic illness unwellness, and also gives a wonderful opportunity to socialise and make new friends.”
An information and taster session will take place on Thursday 17 Feb at 4 pm in the Cathedral Youth Centre, Green Lane, Carlow and all are welcome.
Classes proper will start on Tuesday March 1st for 12 weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Speaking about the initiative, Dr Claire Lodge, healthCORE director of the Dept of Health Sciences at IT Carlow said, “ We are delighted to be part of this exciting new development that will benefit all those with chronic illness in our community. The evidence is compelling that exercise is medicine and can benefit many aspects of our health, both physical and mental. IT Carlow has a pivotal role in promoting health and wellbeing and we welcome people that are interested to contact us for further information and to learn more about getting involved.”
Anyone interested in participating in the programme at IT Carlow can contact Dr Claire Lodge via Claire.lodge@itcarlow.ie
For further information, visit www.exwell.ie