Facilitators and Barriers to Implementing French-Canadian Lifestyle Redesign^® in Occupational Therapy Practice

Background. Although Lifestyle Redesign^® is an important preventive occupational therapy approach fostering meaningful routines to support health and well-being, little data exists to support its implementation in new sociocultural contexts. Purpose. To explore facilitators and barriers to a future implementation of the French-Canadian Lifestyle Redesign^® (Remodeler sa vie^®) in occupational therapy practice, as perceived by occupational therapists (OTs), occupational therapy students, decision makers and community partners. Method. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, this action-research study involved 58 purposefully selected participants trained in the approach. Eleven focus groups were conducted using three semi-structured interview guides and facilitation tools. Findings. Participants (86.2% women, aged 20 to 72; mean = 43.2, SD = 12.5) identified 36 influential factors, with public sector OTs facing the most barriers. Key facilitators included the approach's strong evidence base, its relevance to aging populations, key actors' openness and engagement, and new social trends. Barriers stemmed from the approach's complexity, resource constraints, socio-political challenges, implementation efforts and uncertainty about older adults' engagement in this approach. Equitable access to the approach was a common concern. Conclusion. By addressing the factors influencing the implementation of Remodeler sa vie^®, this study advances knowledge on integrating preventive approaches to promote healthy aging in Canada and internationally.