A scoping review on older adults’ participation in policymaking

The importance of older adults’ participation in policymaking is increasingly recognized, but the nuanced participation processes remain insufficiently understood. This scoping review aims to map existing research on older adults’ participation in policymaking, focusing on who participates, their activities and contributions, resulting outputs and outcomes, and the enablers and barriers affecting their participation. A systematic search was conducted to identify peer reviewed literature through Web of Science, SocINDEX, Academic Search Complete, Humanities International Complete, and Scopus, and grey literature through Google Scholar, institutional repositories, and expert recommendations. The eligibility criteria are original empirical studies focusing on individuals aged 50 years and older and their participation in policymaking. 23 studies were included in the final review. A structured extraction form was developed to capture study characteristics, participant socio-demographics, participation activities, policy outputs and outcomes, and factors affecting participation. Descriptive analysis was performed on study characteristics, and content analysis was conducted on participation processes. Most studies (78%) were conducted in high-income countries, often overrepresenting women, younger cohorts, more educated and community-dwelling older adults. This participation was often ad hoc rather than institutionally established and supported. Older adults contributed to developing policy documents, shaping long-term outcomes, and enhancing personal well-being. The review identified participation enablers at individual and institutional levels and highlighted barriers such as time and resource constraints, health limitations, power imbalances, and ageism. The findings inform policy and program interventions to establish mechanisms for older adults’ participation, address barriers for disadvantaged groups, and create meaningful pathways for translating their contributions into policy outcomes.