For over 30 years, there have been significant changes in the way people view marriage, family, and relationships. Generations of families are seeing their parents and grandparents leave their marriages after being with a spouse for decades. In fact, people over the age of 50 are getting divorced at surprisingly high rates. Divorcing later in life, or getting a “gray divorce” can affect every member of the family. Learning about divorce laws in Florida can help you protect your assets and adjust to a new life after divorce.
Why is gray divorce becoming more common?
There are several reasons why older individuals have decided to end their marriages. In the 1960s and 1970s, divorce was much less common, but more of society started to embrace the notion that more people wanted to search for their personal happiness and fulfillment. This, in addition to the fact that countries were becoming more industrialized, made divorce a more socially acceptable practice. Advancements in technology and medical research have also led to longer lifespans which have motivated some people to end their marriages in the second part of their lives.
Happiness and relationships
According to the Harvard Study of Adult Development that started in 1938, people who participated in the study were not interested in attachment or empathy at that time, which may be why they avoided improving their marriages and didn’t entertain divorce. However, the study reiterates that relationships are essential when it comes to healthy aging. A 2015 TED talk by Dr. Robert Waldinger indicated that the individuals who were most fulfilled in their relationships around the age of 50 were healthiest when they reached their 80s.
Individuals over 50 who file for divorce state that they’re looking for something different in life. These people often married young and came of age in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s when divorce was becoming more acceptable. A number of couples said that they were not satisfied in their marriages and wanted to enter into a phase of life that will usher in joy and pleasure, which are emotions they may not have been able to experience in marriage.