Qualitative perspectives of age-friendliness: Findings from group discussions in four European cities

The active involvement and participation of older individuals in decision-making processes are fundamental principles for creating age-friendly environments. There is a need to conduct a qualitative multi-centre, multi-country analysis of age-friendliness in order to better understand the differences in the experienced positive and negative features according to older people. The goal of the current study is to present and discuss the perspectives of older individuals who participated in a series of group discussions on the experienced age-friendliness of four cities in the European Union: Kraków and Wrocław (Poland), The Hague (the Netherlands), and Bucharest (Romania). The participants discussed each of the dimensions, using examples from their daily life, and recorded their concerns and challenges on living in their urban communities. Key themes include the importance of social participation, intergenerational respect, access to healthcare, transportation challenges, and civic engagement. While local concerns varied, common issues such as feeling ‘invisible’ and barriers to informal social interaction emerged. The research combines qualitative insights with cross-country comparison, offering a nuanced understanding of ageing in urban contexts. Findings highlight the need for inclusive urban policies that reflect older citizens' lived experiences and support their active participation in community life. • The qualitative views from older adults provide an overview of age-friendly experiences. • Perceptions of various domains of city by older persons can help to tailor ageing policies. • The use of qualitative methods enable to better understand local context of the age-friendliness.