What is much more striking is that while 7% of single men in their late sixties are widowers, 9% are divorcees! Remarriage, too, is becoming a trend among these jolly older men ? though admittedly ? it is still confined to a very small and more or less posh group. Remarriage among sixty-five plus women are negligible in number across all sectors.



Old Men and Younger Women

This too is an interesting side of the affair, since this means that the older men are busy partnering with much younger women. However, there is a singles brigade too. Those who cannot or do not want to find new partners prefer living alone. According to the census of 2001, 22% of over-65 year old men and 44% of the women lived alone, and as age progresses, this sector grows in number. It should be noted here that there is a large population of elderly parents living in with their children, but without their own partners. There are almost no divorcees among them, and mostly its because their spouses have died. 6.7% of women and 3.7% of men above 85 years of age were in this bracket in 2001.

Subsequent census predictions suggest that the ranks have swelled a lot since 2005. Apparently, 2005 ? 2007 has seen a great growth in the number of adult and employed people living at home with their parents. The major reason behind this is the price hike in apartments and rentals all over the UK. Apart from children, the elderly seem insecure about living by themselves anyway. 7.6% of women and 6.1% of men above 85 years of age prefer living with another relative or a caregiver ? anyone ? as long as they do not have to stay alone.

Problems of the Elderly

The divorced elderly have a lot of problems, of which many of us are aware. A major issue is inadequate pensions. The Pensions department of the government needs reform, and the irregularity of its functioning keeps coming under fire frequently.

The other overwhelming problem is housing. A survey has shown that only 40% of elderly home owners actually claim the tax benefits they are entitled to, the rest are just unaware of it, or feel it is too much of a hassle.

Healthcare for elderly divorcees is also inadequate. Finally there is the pervading problem of loneliness.

Emotional Effects of Divorce

Elderly people need more emotional support than those in their forties or even fifties if they go for a marital separation. The main reason for this is that they are not as affluent as those at the peak of their careers. They also have the tendency to feel more lonely, mostly because they are not getting any younger. No one wants to die, but everyone knows that they will die. The older we become, the closer we come to realising the meaning of our mortality.

It has been observed that women are more likely to live in community accommodation than men, and have greater adaptability. It is a fact that elderly people remain more active and physically fit as part of a social group than as lone individuals. This makes it very important for those who divorce at an advanced age to remain socially active; otherwise they may fall prey to bad habits of drinking and smoking, or get depressed. Among the elderly, depression is not what it means among the younger people. An elderly person will rarely go for vandalism or violence or rash driving; in fact, becoming increasingly withdrawn is the most common symptom. Many elderly people, irrespective of economic standing, also develop health disorders after divorce. They lose the zest to live on, and with it they lose their appetite too.

Social Support for the Divorced Elderly

Unfortunate but true, counselling and support for the elderly divorced is almost non-existent. Since they are less vocal in their requests for help and support they often go unnoticed; and they are usually too well-off to be of any concern to help groups that have their hands full with the young and the needy. It is important that society and the government wakes up to the needs of this growing segment of society.