Being married for decades does not ensure marital bliss. Divorce trends have clearly shown a sharp increase in older adults ending their long-term marriages. Various reasons motivate people in Maryland in their 50s, 60s or 70s to part ways with a spouse.
Divorce statistics
University researchers found that 25% of divorces involved people 50 or older in 2015. Divorces among people in this age demographic have doubled since 1990.
Lack of emotional connection
For many people, the love and emotional support that they expected from a life partner either withered away or were never present. A person confronted by this situation eventually thinks about what more decades of life in a loveless relationship would be like. The answer is often unappealing and prompts the person to choose being alone or looking for a new relationship.
Problems cited by older people seeking divorce include:
- Spouse is emotionally abusive or dismissive
- Spouse shows no interest in partner’s hopes or dreams
- Spouse rejects partner’s core needs and wants
End of child-rearing
Many people stick with their spouses while raising children. You may have ignored serial infidelity or addiction for the sake of a stable home life for children. When the nest empties, you may cease pretending that the marriage is viable. Under those circumstances, dividing property and going separate directions become more appealing.
Desire for fulfilling life
As people enter or leave middle age, they realize that they want to make the most of their remaining years. For some people, marital counseling brings them back together. You could take steps to improve the relationship by specifically asking how to fulfill each other’s needs and provide emotional validation. In other cases, years of emotional neglect cannot be fixed and departure is necessary.