Participatory approach, dissemination, and implementation of research on aging: the Age-It experience

As populations age, health, social, and long-term care policies must promote well-being, active participation, and inclusion in later life. This article examines how dissemination and participatory strategies can bridge research and practice, drawing on the Age-It Research Program-one of Europe's largest transdisciplinary initiatives on aging.

Age-It involves 1,000+ researchers across 10 "Spokes" and several cross-cutting Boards, engaging more than 100 stakeholder organizations. We describe the overarching dissemination and co-creation strategy developed by the Stakeholders and Dissemination Board, acknowledging the diverse participatory practices within Spokes. We term our approach incremental participatory, recognizing both early stakeholder involvement and the practical constraints of coordinating a program of this scale.

Our experience highlights three key lessons. First, establishing a shared language, timeframe, and platform is essential for transdisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder engagement. Second, dissemination and knowledge mobilization must be embedded throughout the research process rather than treated as a final stage activity, combining digital tools (e.g., WikiAge-It, the Age-It Dashboard) with offline, community-based events to foster inclusive participation. Third, while co-creation enhances legitimacy and relevance, sustaining active engagement requires significant investments in resources, infrastructures, and facilitation processes.

By integrating participatory research principles with implementation science frameworks, Age-It demonstrates how structured collaboration and knowledge mobilization can support evidence-based policies and practices. However, challenges remain, including uneven stakeholder engagement, time constraints, and the difficulty of translating complex scientific insights into actionable formats. We conclude that dissemination and participatory approaches in aging research must be seen as dynamic, iterative, and resource-intensive processes.