Walking with Older Adults as a Geographical Method

This chapter discusses the process of undertaking and analysing walking interviews with older adults. We discuss participant recruitment, including issues such as representing the experiences of less mobile adults. We then reflect on what can be gained from the process of going on a walk as opposed to static interviews. The chapter will also discuss issues of data collection, through audio recording, photographs and using GPS technology to record the route of the walks. Such approaches uniquely allow interview data to be geographically contextualised, which is crucial when exploring the role of particular built environments on individuals’ perceptions and experiences of that environment. We demonstrate the value of walk-along interviews when aiming to understand the role of the built environment for older adults’ mobilities.