The participants can be regarded as a convenience sample, although by necessity they were
recruited from a range of sources. Individuals who made up the younger group mostly
comprised members of a college pension scheme, but also included some primary and
secondary contacts. Those from the older group were recruited by a variety of means, one of
the objectives being to balance those living independently with others in residential care or
sheltered housing. Thus, for the independent group, most individuals were approached
through either a day centre or an Age Concern lunch club, although a few were direct
contacts. For the latter, wardens or primary carers assisted a researcher to meet potential
participants in residential homes or supervised council-owned flats and bungalows. Due to
practical constraints, no attempt was made to match the two age groups for exogenous
variables.