COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Community Connections and Third Place Engagement: A Qualitative Analysis of Older Americans

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic caused widespread disruption and upheaval across communities. This qualitative study uses data from the national COVID-19 Coping Study to investigate how community engagement shifted during the pandemic among older Americans. We conducted reflexive thematic analysis of open-ended online survey responses from a random subsample of 500 participants. Our analysis identified ways in which participants altered sources of community and engagement, struggled with engagement, and increased engagement, and how experiences differed among bonding ties compared to bridging ties. Results reinforce the importance of third places for heterogeneous social connections and inform strategies to strengthen community among older Americans.

Keywords:

• Aging in place
• bridging social capital
• COVID-19 pandemic
• qualitative thematic analysis
• third places

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by NIA Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Individual Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32 AG064815-01); NIA Pathway to Independence Award (K99 AG075152); and Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research Postdoctoral Translational Scholar Program (UL1 TR002240-02).