The participation of older adults in entities generating social innovation: a qualitative study.

This paper presents a qualitative study on the social participation of older adults based on the analysis of the discourses of different organizations that carry out projects for older adults in the Community of Madrid (Spain). These organizations, selected for their innovation and for meeting community needs not met by other institutions, have been studied through the content of their discourses, obtained from six semi-structured interviews with key informants. The conclusions highlight key points such as the importance of adopting an active aging approach and combating ageism; the vision of participation as a continuous benefit throughout life; the need to create spaces, resources and programs that favor a more horizontal organizational structure; and two fundamental concepts: seeing the older adult not only as a recipient, but also as an active contributor to society (the older adult as a generator).