Photo voices of older citizens on the age-friendliness in the cities of Bucharest, The Hague, Kraków, Wrocław and Skopje

An age-friendly city supports older adults to engage in social life, and access services that cater for their specific needs for as long as possible while. At the same time, the direct involvement of older adults in the co-creation of age-friendly urban solutions remains limited. This study examines the age-friendliness of urban environments from the perspective of older adults living in five European cities using a participatory photovoice approach. The analysis is guided by the World Health Organization's eight age-friendly topics with the addition of one's financial situation. The study draws on qualitative data collected (photographs and comments) via a web-based application in 2023 and 2024, with 128 participants aged 65 years and over. The findings of this study explore the perspectives of older citizens on specific features of the physical, social and cultural environments that influence their well-being and ability to remain active citizens. Older individuals emphasised aspects such as the quality of infrastructure, walkability, aesthetics, inclusivity of social activities and the affordability and accessibility of services. This study demonstrates the value of participatory methods such as photovoice in capturing the lived realities of older residents. The findings offer critical insights to foster more inclusive, supportive age-friendly cities.