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Marital Status and Loneliness Among 50 Plus Women
August 6, 2019 | Life | By Lisa Smith
It’s not surprising to learn that single women over 50 struggles with loneliness and depression. The lives of these women are drastically different from a few decades ago. Here Lets50 explores the question of marital status and loneliness among senior women and ways to overcome it. Increasing numbers show that women are more likely to be left single during their later years today than in previous years. The reasons include separation, divorce or death of spouse and better life expectancy for women. Regardless of the reason, a major chunk is impacted by loneliness followed by depression
You’re Not Alone In This Struggle
Older Americans study suggests a probability of 75% for older men to be married till 84 years while women start at 60% at senior age and decline to 42% post 85. It also points to 23% men living alone vs over 50% for women of similar age. Financial constraints are also pointed out as a sore point for women but we will leave that for another time. Another study from the The Journals of Gerontology found 1 in 4 senior respondents feeling social and emotional loneliness. Unplesant sex life, unwell spouse and frequent disagreements compound the feeling within married couples. Emotional loneliness was stronger in second marriages for women. Another revelation relates to the onset of Alziermers being fairly early for seniors living alone.
The Straight Forward Answer
Research has demonstrated proportional benefits between health and marriage in older adults. While men remain and get married repeatedly for the large pool of single women, however the reverse isn’t true for the women. Women however have been found to flourish and prosper owing to their Social connect. You can go out and find yourself a mate. You probably think that it’s impossible today to hook up. So where do you start?
The first thing you have to do is acknowledge that you want to be in a relationship again. The obstacle you’ve got to overcome is the fear of dating again. It’s not easy to go out there and put yourself on the line again. But it’s what you’re going to have to do to achieve greater happiness. You could be happily single but still lonely. You’ve got so many more years to live and share with someone special. Though you may not prefer sitting in smoke-filled bars all hope isn’t lost as you can try:
– Tapping into your social circle
– Spend more time pursuing your hobbies
– Remain socially active and even when you aren’t at a social event, keep your time public
Online Dating Could Be Your Answer
Finding someone to date or marry again is easier with the internet. There are many online options to choose from. Portals, sites, Facebook groups could be a handy way to start. Yes, there are people over 50 who are looking for love online and some platforms are dedicated to that demographic. No, it doesn’t make you a loser to find someone special using the internet. The world has changed and along with it the way people find love.
The First Is The Hardest Step
Are you over 50 and lonely, resolve and get out of your shell? There could be some in the beginning, don’t allow it to stop you from succeeding in love. No one has to feel lonely, and it’s criminal to allow yourself to experience this miserable feeling. Realize that this is a new beginning. You are at a different stage in life, and the best years are still ahead of you.
