Though it is reasonable to anticipate that longer life expectancy would produce longer marriages, the prevalence of long-term marriages is actually declining in comparison to the population. Just one in five marriages of late-life couples will survive 50 years, with four in five ending in divorce or widowhood prior to this marker. The divorce rate among adults ages 50 and older doubled between 1990 and 2010. Roughly 1 in 4 divorces in 2010 occurred to persons ages 50 and older. 50 and older divorcees are in what has been dubbed the Gray Divorce Revolution.
In 2001, part of the earlier years of this phenomenon, about 61, 200 American men and 61,400 American women ages 55-64 years divorced their spouses. Another 47,400 men and 69,700 women in this age group separated from their spouses. In sum total about 300,060 Americans age 55 or older experienced a marital transition via divorce or separation in 2001.
Age-specific reasons motivate the decision to divorce or separate. For younger people, marital discord and breakdown occur primarily because of interpersonal disputes. Late-life divorce, in contrast, is primarily an effect of developmental issues associated with personal growth in old age. The ideal of lifelong marriage is becoming obsolete because the demand for receiving personal gratification through marriage appears incompatible with single, lifelong marriages. That is, the combination of individualism and longer life expectancy represents a situation that is straining numerous long-term marriages to their breaking points. Lifelong marriage was a viable expectation in an era when Life expectancy was comparatively short and marriages were based on economic interdependence. Along with individualism and longer life expectancy, many couples confront empty nests, retirement, or declining health, which can pose considerable challenges for marital adjustment. These turning points can prompt spouses to reassess their marriages, ultimately leading them to divorce. For example, a marriage that was satisfactory when both spouses worked and shared activities such as child rearing may flounder once the couple retires and the nest is empty
In 2001, part of the earlier years of this phenomenon, about 61, 200 American men and 61,400 American women ages 55-64 years divorced their spouses. Another 47,400 men and 69,700 women in this age group separated from their spouses. In sum total about 300,060 Americans age 55 or older experienced a marital transition via divorce or separation in 2001.
Age-specific reasons motivate the decision to divorce or separate. For younger people, marital discord and breakdown occur primarily because of interpersonal disputes. Late-life divorce, in contrast, is primarily an effect of developmental issues associated with personal growth in old age. The ideal of lifelong marriage is becoming obsolete because the demand for receiving personal gratification through marriage appears incompatible with single, lifelong marriages. That is, the combination of individualism and longer life expectancy represents a situation that is straining numerous long-term marriages to their breaking points. Lifelong marriage was a viable expectation in an era when Life expectancy was comparatively short and marriages were based on economic interdependence. Along with individualism and longer life expectancy, many couples confront empty nests, retirement, or declining health, which can pose considerable challenges for marital adjustment. These turning points can prompt spouses to reassess their marriages, ultimately leading them to divorce. For example, a marriage that was satisfactory when both spouses worked and shared activities such as child rearing may flounder once the couple retires and the nest is empty