Conference Proceedings

The opening conference of PAAR-Net marked a key milestone in advancing inclusive and participatory research with older adults across Europe and beyond. Held on 17 April 2024 in Kraków, Poland, the event brought together scholars, practitioners, and older co-researchers to explore innovative approaches that reposition older adults as active partners in research, policy, and practice.

This webpage provides access to the official proceedings of the conference, which include contributions from all four PAAR-Net Working Groups. The themes span a wide range of issues related to ageing and participation, including:

• participatory and co-creation methodologies in research with older adults,
• health and community-based care models,
• the inclusion of marginalised groups (e.g., migrants, persons with dementia, disaster survivors),
• digital inclusion and technological innovation,
• and culturally grounded approaches to wellbeing and ageing.

PAAR-Net promotes a model of research and innovation that values older adults not merely as subjects but as co-creators of knowledge. The initiative fosters cross-sector collaboration and aims to influence policies and practices through participatory methods grounded in lived experience.

This publication compiles selected presentations and findings from the opening conference. It is intended as a reference point for ongoing work within the network and for researchers, practitioners, and institutions interested in collaborative, inclusive approaches to ageing.

• To access the full proceedings, BG, CS, DA, DE, EL, ES, ET, EN, FI, FR, HU, IT, LT, LV, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, SL, SK, SV, TR