Under Construction @ Keele 2016 Volume 2 Issue 1 | Page 60

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To uncover the narratives of the older people living within this deprived area,
the researcher conducted a series of semi-structured interviews (n=22) and focus
groups (n=2) with older residents aged sixty and over.36 In addition, participant
observations were undertaken at community events such as ‘Friendship Group’,
‘Luncheon Club’ and the annual Christmas party, as well as capturing the everyday
realities of local residents through photographic imagery. This research selected a
snowball sampling technique, because there were some key gatekeepers (the main
organisers of the social events) who could draw from their social networks, a hard-toreach group, and attract participants to this study.
The researcher thematically analysed the data and older people’s
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