Gray Area: Why Divorce Happens in Your Golden Years

In most people's minds, if you can make it to your later years and are still hanging in there, you are probably safe from the issue of divorce, but this is not necessarily true. Older people have some of the same issues going on in their lives that people of all ages do, of course, but they also face challenges unique to their age group. Read on to learn about four common issues faced by older couples that could lead to divorce.

1. Tiny fissures develop into cracks. Often, instead of a sudden or unexpected problem that arises, older couples can face festering issues that add up over the years. Even tiny annoyances can cause enough irritation to cause a rift, and sometimes it is just the long-haul annoyances that cause the divorce. If you have discussed with your mate your unhappiness about snoring, bad manners and other irritating habits and your mate seems reluctant or unable to make changes to make you happy, you may have a situation that demonstrates apathy and disrespect by your partner.

2. Age differences become more apparent. When you first met and married, the 5 or 10 year age difference may not have seemed such a big deal, but the older you get the more that age difference can become more apparent. You may now be noticing that the older party has developed more health issues, is unable to perform sexually, has become more forgetful and absent minded, and more. When both parties are around the same age, these issues can be more easily understood and dealt with, but when the younger party begins to perceive that they are married to an "old person", these issues can lead to a split.

3. Financial issues can come to a head. When you both were working and your income could be increased by moving jobs or taking on some part time work, the budget issues were somewhat manageable. Once you are both on fixed retirement incomes, however, you may find you're at odds with each other over bad spending habits or other financial issues.

4. Boredom settles in. You may both have been looking forward to your retirement years, when you can putter in the garden or golf when you want. In reality, many people who have worked hard their entire lives find themselves dealing with depression, loneliness and boredom after leaving those jobs. You may feel that you have no purpose, and often you cannot identity what your new purpose is. This bored feeling can lead to affairs, thrill seeking hobbies, overeating, drug and alcohol abuse, and more. Being unable to deal with these issues will inevitability lead to divorce.

If you have tried to address the issues in your long-time marriage to no avail, it may be time for you to speak with a divorce attorney. Services like Biales Delchin Law LLC. can help.


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