Discussion paper on participation and participatory methods in gerontology.

The concept of "participation" and the use of "participatory methods" in human, healthcare, nursing, and gerontological research, as well as the corresponding fields of practice, represent an expanding field of interest. However, the objectives and organization of "participation" are not always sufficiently explicated. The Critical Gerontology Working Group of the German Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics presents a statement on this phenomenon, and proposes a catalogue of criteria for reflection upon and assessment of participation by older people in research and practice, which can also be considered a stimulus for further discussions.