Older People and Divorce

Does this make Britain sound like a nation of ancient spinsters? That is not the case, as most of these women are widows. In the post-eighty-five age group, four fifths of the women are widows, as compared to 43% of widowers. What is much more striking is that while 7% of men in their late sixties are widowers, 9% are divorcees. Remarriage, too, is becoming a trend among the jolly old men – though admittedly – it is still confined to a very small group. Remarriage among sixty-five plus women are negligible in number. This, too, is an interesting facet of the matter, since it indicates that the older men are, therefore, partnering with much younger women. However, there is a loner brigade too. Those who cannot or do not want to find partners prefer living alone. According to the census of 2001, 22% of elderly men and 44% of the women lived alone, and as age progressed, this sector grew in number. It should be noted here that there is a sizeable population of elderly parents who live with their children, but without their partner. There are a few divorcees among them too, but mostly it’s because their spouses have died. 6.7% of women and 3.7% of men above 85 years of age were doing this in 2001. Subsequent census predictions suggest that the number has swelled a lot since 2005. Apparently, 2005 – 2007 has seen a huge growth in the number of adult and employed children living with their parents. The major reason behind this is the hike in house prices and rentals all over the UK. Apart from children, the elderly seem insecure about living by themselves anyway. 7.6% of women and 6.1% of men above 85 years of age prefer living with another relative or a caregiver – anyone – as long as they don’t have to stay alone. <br><br>A Global Trend? Over the past five years, the divorce rate among sixty plus men and women has been constantly on the rise. Why are the elderly falling apart – after so many years of conjugal life? One reason is that, the prevalence of divorce in Britain has given rise to a number of twice-married or even thrice-married people among this generation. Having married late, and presumably at the height of their professional lives, these couples did not have the chance to really settle down with each other. After retirement, compatibility issues came up, since both of them were forced by circumstances to spend a lot of time everyday with each other. This was when a lot of elderly couples discovered that they were not so comfortable with each other after all, and headed for a split. This may sound like one of those malicious little television sitcom stories, but is not only a fact derived from social research, but also noticed in Europe, the USA and Japan. Several Swiss and German couples in this age group have fallen apart due to this reason. In the USA, the trend of remarriage among old divorcees is catching on very well. If two successful people had not been able to notice that they are not made for each other due to work pressure, there is no reason why they should not be given a second chance at life. The story is a bit different in Japan. The generation that is retiring now is made up of the hard-working men who rebuilt Japan after the War, and ushered in the digital age. They hardly know their wives, who have been leading their own lives in the mean time. Many sixty-five plus Japanese women are confused about what to do with the new man in their lives – their own husbands! <br><br>The Darker Side The divorced elderly have a lot of problems, and most of us are aware of that. A major issue is the irregularity of pension. The Pensions department needs reform, and the irregularity of its functioning has come under fire frequently. The other problem is housing. A survey has shown that only 40% of elderly home owners actually claim the tax benefits they are entitled to, the rest are just unaware of it, or feel it is too much of a hassle. Healthcare for old divorcees is also inadequate. Then there is the overriding problem of loneliness. In the face of it all, it is good to see some people living it up again.