Feasibility of Lifestyle Redesign (R) for community-dwelling older adults with and without disabilities: Results from an exploratory descriptive qualitative clinical research design

Introduction Although Lifestyle Redesign (R) has been shown to be effective in improving older adults' health and well-being, little is known about the feasibility of implementing this programme to develop meaningful and health-promoting routines of community-dwelling older adults in Canada. This study thus aimed to explore the feasibility of implementing a culturally-adapted 6-month version of Lifestyle Redesign (R) with community-dwelling older French-Canadians with and without disabilities. Methods An exploratory descriptive qualitative clinical research design was used with 17 older adults living at home or in a seniors' residence, divided into two groups participating in Lifestyle Redesign (R). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants and the occupational therapist who delivered the programme and recorded clinical notes. Findings Participants were aged between 65 and 90; they were mainly women (n = 11; 64.7%), and seven (41.2%) had disabilities. The intervention was tailored to the participants' needs, interests, and capacities in each group (e.g. modules selected, number of individual sessions, and assistance of volunteer). Over the 6-month period, older adults participated in an average of about 25 group sessions with the occupational therapist and in four or five outings with their group (e.g. restaurant, market, and museum) and attended between 5 and 11 individual sessions with the occupational therapist. The most common reasons for missing group sessions were being ill, working, or having another appointment. Personal facilitators and barriers to participation in the intervention were mainly related to abilities, needs, spiritual life, and health. Environmental facilitators were mostly the regularity of the sessions, group, and external support, including human resources to deliver the intervention, whereas barriers were the residence's time restrictions and staff's attitudes, cost of some activities targeted in the programme, and transportation problems. Conclusion Lifestyle Redesign (R) is a feasible preventive occupational therapy intervention for community-dwelling older French-Canadians. These findings will guide future studies including large-scale clinical trials.