The Affect of Divorce on People Who are Older

Late-life divorce is more common but presents unique problems.

"Unraveling the Nest"

The nest we built, so carefully woven,
Now threads unraveled, a life unspoken,
Years of laughter, now a distant chime,
A silent parting, in the sands of time.
We shared the warmth, the storms we faced,
But now the embers, slowly erased,
A quiet sadness, in each empty chair,
A love once strong, now hanging in the air.
The children grown, their lives set free,
Reflecting back, what could have been, we see,
A different path, a choice to make,
As we release the hold, for our own sake.

Late in Life Divorce: Why Older Couples Are Splitting Up

Studies show increasing numbers of divorces among people over the age of fifty. The divorces happen after decades of marriage. The question is, why are divorces happening?

One factor is the empty nest syndrome. The empty nest happens after the children grow up and leave home. After the youngest child leaves home, some marriages become complicated. Husbands and wives who were busy working and raising children trip over each other in the kitchen or elsewhere. They also discover that they share little or nothing in common. Long, festering problems put aside for the family's sake now rise to the surface. Feelings of anger emerge, and the marriage ends.

Infidelity rises to the surface for many of these people, and that leads to divorce later in life. Husbands and wives who feel unfulfilled in their sexual relations begin searching for excitement elsewhere. The sense of betrayal causes pain after a long marriage. For many people, forgiving and adjusting to what is deeply hurt is impossible.

Finances are affected by divorce and are often severe for the older generation. Unlike younger couples with more time to rebuild their wealth, older individuals struggle to adjust to a single-income lifestyle. Dividing assets such as retirement savings, pension plans, and property creates financial instability. Some people who are retired must return to work to maintain financial security.

Despite these challenges many people find that ending an unhappy marriage leads to a fresh start. They experience a sense of independence and the opportunity to pursue personal goals. Late in life divorce brings difficulties, it can also be a step toward a more fulfilling and peaceful future.

It is important to state that there are people for whom a late-in-life divorce feels devastating. Among these are people who fear loneliness. For some women, divorce at this stage of life can bring with it a fear of the loss of attractiveness and doubts about finding another partner.

Many people are fearful of a permanent sense of loneliness. But worst of all, there are fears of what will happen if sickness occurs and who will be the caretaker. It is natural to think that adult children will fulfill some of these roles. However, many do not want to impose on their sons and daughters.

Facing aging is difficult. It isn't very good to think about when combining aging with divorce. Of course, there are those of us who lost a spouse because of sickness and death.