What are the most common causes of late-life divorce?
Couples who have been married for decades can take the relationship for granted, and focus elsewhere, like career or children, and either neglect the couple relationship, or build up resentment over time because they don’t do the work to clear it out. It’s also possible that couples who don’t stay in intimate contact can grow apart and find they’re focused on completely different things. Q: Are the causes of late-life divorce often different than the causes at other stages of life/marriage? A: Yes, it’s often more ennui than fighting. It’s boredom rather than stress. It’s estrangement rather than hostility. Q: Why are so many of them initiated by women? A: Because late in life men become complacent, but after children are grown women want to restructure their lives. Q: What advice would you offer a couple that wants to avoid struggling with their marriage in late life? A: Unpack the baggage. If you have difficult events in your past, don’t hide from them. Do your grieving, get therapy,
