Exercise classes for people with chronic illnesses will be held in Graiguecullen
Dr Clare Lodge (SETU) and Dr Noel McCaffrey (ExWell Medical) with sports rehab and athletic therapy students Maeghann O'Mahony, Aisling Davis, Millie McBride, Ciara Moore, Roisin Power and Ava Metcalfe
SOUTH EAST Technological University (SETU) recently unveiled the new location of its collaborative ExWell programme at St Fiacc’s Hall in Graiguecullen, Carlow.
First established in 2022, the programme provides supervised exercise classes for individuals with various chronic illnesses in community settings. It operates across 48 centres nationwide, with more than 7,500 participant visits each week.
ExWell is a collaboration between SETU and ExWell Medical, offering learning opportunities for health students and providing a service to the local community. The programme aims to address the issue of participants’ physical deconditioning due to lack of exercise. This is a key contributor to chronic illness in Ireland’s older population.
The ExWell programme is specifically designed to address this, and now in its third year in Carlow organisers are witnessing the profound positive impact on functional levels and overall quality of life for those taking part.
Dr Noel McCaffrey, ExWell CEO and founder, spoke about the proven benefits of the programme and its adaptability to all members of the community.
“The concept is very simple. Everyone knows that exercise is good for our health, and this applies as much to people with long-term illness as to people who do not have illness. All health professionals recommend regular exercise, but making it happen for people is different from just recommending it – this is ExWell’s key achievement. We make it happen and anyone can try it. We don’t turn anybody away. Our approach is that we find a way to make it work for everyone,” he said.
Until recently, the programme had run at SETU’s campus in Carlow. The recent location relaunch will see ExWell move to St Fiacc’s Hall in Carlow. This is fantastic new venue and community hub that organisers hope will encourage more and more people to take part.
SETU lecturer Dr Clare Lodge said: “The collaboration between ExWell and SETU is a powerful example of academia and health services working together to address both local and national health challenges. Health students, equipped with the knowledge of the benefits of physical activity for long-term conditions, alongside the support of SETU’s clinical staff, are making a tangible impact in our community. This partnership reflects SETU’s commitment to improving society by directly engaging with and addressing the health needs of the local population.”
To celebrate the move, SETU hosted the health workshop, which included short educational talks on back pain and hip pain with practical instruction on relevant rehabilitation exercises, followed by an ExWell masterclass.
For more information on the programme, visit exwell.ie. For queries related to ExWell in Carlow, contact Amy Adams on aadams@exwell.ie or call 085 7436138.
