Divorce rates among older adults have almost tripled since 1990

Divorce rates among older adults have almost tripled since 1990
McKnight's Senior Living; by Lois A. Bowers; 10/23/24
New research finds an almost threefold increase in the percentage of divorced older adults compared with three decades ago. And an increasing number of older adults never have married. The investigators at the National Center for Family and Marriage Research at the Bowling Green, OH, educational institution found that the divorce rate among people aged 65 or more years increased from 5.2% in 1990 to 15.2% in 2022. Or, put another way, one in every 10 people divorcing in the United States today is aged 65 or more years. Although reasons for the increase in divorce were beyond the scope of the study, Brown theorized that contributing factors could include increased life expectancy and the fragility of remarriages.
Publisher's note: Interesting implications for hospice care and caregivers.