During the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults faced heightened vulnerability, particularly when navigating grief under conditions of disruption and isolation. This study examines the lived experiences of twelve community-dwelling older women in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, who lost a family member between March and December 2020. Through semi-structured interviews, the research explores participants' social constructions of grief and bereavement, shaped by pandemic restrictions, coping strategies, and adaptive practices. Thematic analysis revealed three interrelated dimensions: structural inequalities and disruptions in grieving; gendered emotional labor and kinkeeping; and lessons from pandemic-era loss. While digital technologies enabled connection, they remained inadequate substitutes for the embodied intimacy of physical touch, shared rituals, and communal presence. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated resilience, transforming grief into opportunities for reflection, ritual, and connection. The findings underscore the need for bereavement supports that are relationally attuned and acknowledge the roles older women carry within families during times of crisis.
Teichman et al. (Thu,) studied this question.