Despite the fact that the overall divorce rate has fallen to its lowest level for nearly three decades, divorce amongst the Over 50s is on the increase. Last year in England and Wales more than 50,000 Third Age couples were divorced, bringing the total of Third Age divorcees to more than two million.

At a time when couples should be looking forward to some ‘we time’ after their children have left home and the mortgage is paid off, they are instead increasingly opting for ‘me time’ and a life of independence away from their marriage partners.

Fewer couples are getting married today than ever before which would naturally account for the decrease in the rate of divorce. We belong to an age when cohabiting was less socially acceptable and marriage was not only considered ‘the right thing to do’, but also reflected our degree of long-term commitment to our partners.

In an age of instant gratification and short-term thinking, it is all too easy today to take on a partner and change them after a few years as one would a car which is nearing the end of its useful life. With the stigma attached to divorce a thing of the past and with life expectancy at an all-time high, Over 50s couples increasingly feel the need to make a fresh start alone just at the point when they should be enjoying the greatest time of their lives, together.

It was not uncommon in the past for married couples to come to the realization, once their children had flown the nest, that they no longer had as much in common as they once did. But for better or worse they made the best of a bad situation. Not today it seems!

Join the forum discussion on this post - (3) Posts