Gray divorce is a term for a developing phenomenon that involves people over the age of 50 ending their marriages. These are on the rise, even as the overall divorce rate declines. Florida couples who have been together for a long time should be aware that gray divorces can present additional challenges for both parties.
A generational divide
When baby boomers were young, they showed a tendency to divorce at far higher rates than their parents and grandparents had. As they’ve aged, this segment of the population has continued to have an unusually high rate of divorce. That’s true even now that they are becoming senior citizens.
Divorce rates are higher among seniors who are in their second marriage. Although people tend to have several motivating factors for making such a serious decision, they still experience effects from such a choice. Some of these are surprising. For example, research shows that blood pressure is higher in adults who have separated or divorced recently. Somewhat surprisingly, depression rates are higher among divorced people when compared to widows.
Special considerations
Finances are an issue in every divorce. However, they may already be strained for retirees. Also, wealthy people are the least likely to divorce. The people who split up are usually in the middle of the social ladder or at the bottom of it. Dealing with a divorce between seniors requires special attention and care.
In most cases, of course, child custody and visitation are no longer an issue. However, property division and alimony are. As such, people who are in this type of a situation might want to meet with a family law attorney to obtain guidance on the process.
