Past decade has shown a rocketing rise in divorce in older adults. This can be attributed to the fact that married couples started realising that they had little in common after they started spending more time with each other. Moreover, the fast approaching retirement, triggered an urge to make up for what they had missed in their mid life. The older adults hoped that after divorce, their new partners would renew their love lives.
Welsh statistics show that there was a 32% increase in the rate of divorce among older couples as against the less than 35 age group.
Reasons for Divorce in Older Adults
For most of these divorced couples, sixty is the new 45, when they start to review their past life and realise what they have missed all these years. They want to make up for all those.
Another major reason cited for such divorces is sexual fulfillment with the new partners.
When children grow and leave home, life becomes less active and emptier for parents. With retirement, it changes even more and such major changes bring deceleration and a thought over the future. As a result many couples choose divorce for a happier and healthier life.
Issues like spending money, indulging in hobbies or finishing uncompleted education come to the fore front in childless couples. Such attitudes, though positive, turn negative when the spouse’s attitude towards them is different. In such cases divorce comes as a consideration.
Factors to Be Considered Before Embarking on a Separation
In case old couples are embarking a separation, it is vital that certain matters undergo a careful scrutiny. With both the parties approaching retirement, the post retirement plans have to be reworked. Method to recover from the financial blow as a result of reduced income becomes pertinent.
Retirement benefits have to be divided in a way it is beneficial to both the parties. The income earning capacity has to be measured and the post retirement benefits, like pension, have to be shared. This becomes more critical when one spouse is dependant on the other.
The issue of pension among older divorcing couples is of much significance. Pension may be the largest capital asset, after the matrimonial home in which they live. Home ownership, alteration of will, unavailability of health benefits, reduction in alimony due to payer’s retirement are other matters of concern among older divorcing couples.
Problems Faced as a Result of Divorce
- Emotional Well Being
Usually older men are dependant on their wives since they are more prone to illness. They are badly affected by divorce since they lose a partner and a caregiver who takes care of them. Divorced women on the other hand fare better. They tend to have high energy level and more time for themselves after a divorce.
- Social and Family Relationships
Older men tend to isolate themselves from their families after a divorce. While majority of the women who are financially independent before divorce, spend more time with their adult children after divorce or retirement. Divorced women come closer to their children while men alienate themselves.
- Financial Problems
Older women, who are financially dependant on their spouse, face major problems after divorce. All financial help coming from husband, stops. Since most of the women earn less than men and have had career breaks in the past, they are not eligible to draw pension after retirement. In the
Men and women cope differently to divorce. While women stay healthier and enjoy better life post divorce, men have to face a lot of problems especially on the health front.
Loneliness in most divorced men drifts them towards alcoholism and thus their social life deteriorates as they tend to keep themselves away from social gatherings. On the other hand social life for women improves since they now have more time to socialize both with her family and friends.
Men are more prone to loneliness leading to depression as a result of divorce. This reduces their life span and they tend to die earlier than a widower. Women on the other hand form support groups and help each other and lead a healthy and happy life.
These are the reason why older men rarely initiate divorce and most of the time it the fairer sex who initiate it. Women lead a much healthier life and cope better with divorce than men of similar age. The only problem women face is the financial crunch. In short, divorce in old age effects financial well being of women and emotional well being of men.
