The Intersection of Rural Challenges, Habitus and Resilience: Rural Informal Caregivers During the <scp>COVID</scp> ‐19 Pandemic in Aotearoa New Zealand

ABSTRACT This study explores how rural informal caregivers in Aotearoa New Zealand navigated caregiving during the COVID‐19 pandemic, focusing on rural challenges, habitus and resilience. Despite heightened care demands and reduced access to services, many participants—primarily older adults—demonstrated preparedness, adaptability, and social capital. We conceptualise this as ‘rural habitus’, shaped by ongoing experiences of structural disadvantages. Moving beyond idealised notions of self‐sufficiency and rural resilience, we highlight how social marginalisation and structural constraints influenced rural caregiving experiences. These findings contribute to discussions on rural health disparities, caregiving under crisis, and the limits and possibilities of rural resilience amid social disruptions.