“A New Normal. Not Bad, Just Different”: A Multimethod Study of Altered Daily Routines and Social Infrastructure Usage Among Older Adults in the United States Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

Social infrastructure is essential to support well-being, but the longer term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults’ routines and engagement with community spaces remain unclear. This multimethod study examines persistent daily routine changes among older adults living in the United States. We analyzed quantitative and qualitative data from the COVID-19 Coping Study (data collected April–May 2024) through prevalence counts, chi-square tests, and thematic analysis of older adults’ nuanced and varying perspectives. The quantitative (<i>n</i> = 1,538) and qualitative (<i>n</i> = 1,280) samples had similar sociodemographic characteristics. Participants were on average 72 years old (range = 60–90). The majority identified as female (69 percent), White (93 percent), college-educated (86 percent with a college degree or higher), and lived in a metro core urban area (55 percent). Most participants quantitatively reported little change in their daily routines, though there were key differences by age and level of urbanicity. Thematic analysis identified four underlying reasons for altered routines: late-life transitions, newfound selective socialization and social avoidance, individual value changes, and fundamental shifts in societal norms. Findings from this study can inform interventions aimed at making environments more accessible and responsive to older adults’ postpandemic needs.