AI Generated Image
Why Older People Are Divorcing More Than They Used To
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- After more than 30 years of marriage, Alan Hickenbottom and his wife filed for divorce in 2021, with Hickenbottom still viewing their marriage as a success despite the split.
- The couple shared early years filled with shared interests and raising two children, but grew apart after their children left for college, feeling more like roommates than romantic partners.
- Two years of marriage counseling failed to resolve their issues, leading Hickenbottom to reconsider how he wanted to live the remainder of his life.
- The phenomenon of "gray divorce"—divorces among those aged 50 and older—has risen sharply in the U.S., doubling between 1990 and 2010, and now accounts for nearly 40% of divorces.
- While overall divorce rates have declined, divorces among Americans aged 65 and older have increased, as many in the Baby Boomer and Gen X generations reject staying in unfulfilling "empty-shell marriages."
