Ohio residents are living longer these days, much like the rest of the country. With increased life expectancy comes a variety of opportunities for growth in relationships, but there are also increased risks that a couple will become exposed to factors leading to the dissolution of marriage. Older people tend to use caution when approaching divorce, and this affects the tone of the proceedings in some specific ways.
Older people need not harbor negative feelings when considering ending a marriage. The number of cases involving seniors filing for divorce is steadily growing. In fact, it is prevalent enough to have its own colloquial term: gray divorce. Scholars from various disciplines are currently investigating scale and potential effects. A study released in The Journals of Gerontology states that divorce rates doubled over a period of 20 years, from 1990 to 2010. Adults who had remarried were over twice as likely to divorce. These statistics illustrate the prevalence of divorce in the aging population of the United States, serving as a reminder that any mature adult who pursues divorce is far from alone.
A study conducted for the AARP discusses some more personal factors that inform how older people might best handle their divorce. The people who reported experiencing high stress levels during their respective legal processes account for nearly half of the total survey results. However, many of the same respondents said divorce was the right decision for them once everything was over: A three-fourths majority claimed they are better off without the marriage.
