This chapter argues that a focus on the involvement of older people in social work and other services is not only consistent with the use of a critical gerontological lens but it is also likely to be a key feature in its development. Such a first person perspective (the subject of social work) problematizes the role of practitioners and existing provision and encourages the application of other key perspectives in so doing. The involvement of older people is offered here as the key major source for such independent critical examination (to set next to second person (social worker) and third person (conventional instrumental research approach). The chapter critically considers prevailing conceptions of user involvement, particularly in relation to older people as a group facing specific marginalisations and discriminations. It argues also that user involvement that is consistent with a critical gerontological approach can go beyond a superficial market research/consumerist approach to involvement and empowerment, to a democratizing model which gives equal value to the experiential knowledge of older people, addressing their potential to be co-producers of learning, practice, provision and policy.