Cost Action 22167
Repository
This report compiles nine examples of participatory research and practice with older adults submitted to the PAAR-Net Policy & Practice Repository. Each example demonstrates innovative, inclusive and cross-sector approaches to ageing, wellbeing, and participation.
This set of practical guidelines and useful tips on applying participatory approaches with
older adults steam from our project SEVEN: Socially Excluded Older Adults: Voices and Ex-
periences that was funded by FWF Top Citizen Science initiative under the grant number
TCS 84 Top Citizen Science.
Willeke van Staalduinen
During the Summer of 2025, desk research, a survey and interviews were conducted to learn more about the experiences and needs of stakeholders and practitioners in applying participatory approaches with older adults. Stakeholders in these activities are defined as individuals working in fields such as policymaking, ICT, education, health and social care, leisure and sports, and housing who deliver products, services, and policies to and for older adults.
This paper was co-created by members of the PAAR-Net network through a collaborative process involving cross-country workshops, participatory discussions with older adults, and synthesis of lived experience, policy reviews, and case study analysis. It reflects shared insights from academics, practitioners, policymakers, and older adults.
Read the headlines for policymakers
This White Paper was co-created by over 30 researchers and practitioners from 14 countries, drawing on 12 case studies exploring participation with migrants, Indigenous elders, and marginalised older adults in diverse community contexts; cross-country workshops bringing together academics, practitioners, policymakers, and older adults; participatory discussions with older people from migrant, Indigenous, rural, and minority communities; and it synthesises lived experiences, policy reviews, and practical examples to provide actionable insights for community-level change.
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This White Paper advocates for strengths-based, co-creative approaches in health and care systems. It addresses ageism, power imbalances, and the need for inclusive language and training.
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This White Paper outlines experiences from co-production with older adults in research, policymaking and practice as a means of propelling social innovation across research, policy and practice for inclusive ageing societies.
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Gender equality is a cross-cutting priority of PAAR NET. Across the project, we embedded gender-sensitive approaches in research, participation, data analysis, and outcomes. Looking with a gender lens on each White Paper, we surfaced concrete evidence of how gender shapes participation, access, and equity. Together, these findings show that meaningful change requires recognising gender not as a side issue but as a structural factor influencing every dimension of ageing and participation.