The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia has profoundly affected older adults, particularly in the state of Victoria, which experienced strict lockdown restrictions six times since the pandemic began in 2020; totalling 245 days over three years. This study explored the experiences of older adults living in retirement villages during the first three lockdowns in Victoria from March 2020 to February 2021. We draw on the concept of the ‘third age’ to explore how residents’ post-retirement social and lifestyle aspirations were disrupted by the pandemic and associated lockdowns. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 14 residents during January and February 2021. All data were analysed using thematic mapping. Five key themes were identified: (1) benefits and frustrations of retirement village living during a pandemic; (2) the loss of amenities and activities; (3) heightened loneliness and social isolation; (4) reaching out to others; and (5) variable experiences of operators’ response. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted short-term and long-term issues around social isolation and the management of retirement villages, it has also demonstrated the resilience of residents and the strength of community ties and relationships. Retirement villages are promoted as age-friendly environments that enable an active and healthy post-retirement lifestyle. Yet our findings reveal heterogeneity within village populations. When services closed during lockdowns, this revealed a tension between the policy assumption that retirement villages are a housing consumption choice, and the unmet needs of those residents who depend on village services for day-to-day functioning.

澳大利亚的 COVID-19 大流行对老年人产生了深远的影响，特别是在维多利亚州，自 2020 年大流行开始以来，该州经历了六次严格的封锁限制；三年总计245天。本研究探讨了 2020 年 3 月至 2021 年 2 月维多利亚州前三次封锁期间生活在退休村的老年人的经历。我们利用“第三年龄”的概念来探讨居民退休后的社会和生活方式愿望如何变化受到大流行和相关封锁的干扰。2021 年 1 月和 2 月期间，我们对 14 名居民进行了深入的定性访谈。所有数据均使用专题制图进行分析。确定了五个关键主题：（1）大流行期间退休村生活的好处和挫折；(2) 丧失便利设施和活动；(3) 孤独感和社会孤立感加剧；(4) 向他人伸出援手；(5) 运营商响应的不同经验。尽管 COVID-19 大流行凸显了围绕社会隔离和退休村管理的短期和长期问题，但它也展示了居民的韧性以及社区联系和关系的强度。退休村被提倡为老年人友好的环境，以实现积极健康的退休后生活方式。然而我们的研究结果揭示了村庄人口内部的异质性。当服务在封锁期间关闭时，这揭示了退休村是住房消费选择的政策假设与依赖乡村服务进行日常运作的居民的需求未得到满足之间的紧张关系。