The aim of this study was to explore the association between resilience and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults. We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods study design to recruit older adults who spoke English and were 60 and above during the pandemic. Survey data investigated older adults’ resilience, post-traumatic growth, well-being, and demographics. Extreme case purposeful sampling of their resilience score was used to select interviewees. Qualitative data sought to understand the relationship between resilience and how older adults responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Exploring the relationship between resilience (well-being in the face of challenge) and one’s experience of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that participants categorized as having high resilience had long held behaviors of contemplative practices that helped them effectively adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic. As we continue to face global challenges, we must redefine care, guide interventions, and promote healthy aging by incorporating contemplative practices into the lives of older adults.

Background: An ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a methodological framework designed to capture real-time data in a participant’s natural environment, yet its feasibility in older adults, particularly in a large, multisite study, remains underexplored. Objective: This study aims to assess the feasibility of implementing automated daily phone surveys in a large, geographically diverse cohort of older adults. Methods: A total of 1283 participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) were enrolled across 6 US field sites. Participants were scheduled to receive 1 automated phone survey per day for 7 consecutive days following a clinic visit. Feasibility was assessed through a dual lens of participant engagement (survey adherence, phone survey duration, and cancellations) and administrative implementation (scheduling errors). Results: Of the 1272 participants who received at least 1 of the 7 phone surveys, high adherence was observed, with 81.84% (1041/1272) completing 5 to 7 surveys. Age was the only demographic characteristic significantly associated with completion ( P =.002), as younger participants demonstrated higher adherence. While the median survey duration was 3 (IQR 2‐4) minutes, 26.84% (2371/8835) of surveys lasted 5 minutes or longer. However, adherence remained remarkably robust even among participants experiencing these extended durations. Participant-initiated cancellations during the 7-day monitoring period were rare, occurring among 21 of 1272 (1.65%) participants who began monitoring. Administrative scheduling errors were also uncommon, accounting for 37 of the 8835 (0.42%) total scheduled surveys not being delivered. Conclusions: Findings support the feasibility of automated daily phone surveys for collecting repeated real-world data in large, multisite studies of older adults. Future studies should incorporate standardized participant feedback to identify barriers to engagement and support more inclusive, participant-centered adaptations of automated phone-based EMA protocols.