Relationships and divorce trends among individuals over 50

Research indicates a rise in “grey divorces”—divorces occurring after the age of 50—and a subsequent increase in individuals seeking new romantic connections later in life. A study by Susan Brown and colleagues from Bowling Green State University shows that approximately 37% of men and 22% of women enter new relationships following a divorce at an older age. These new connections often take the form of cohabitation rather than formal marriage.

Further qualitative research by Chaya Koren from the University of Haifa, involving couples aged 66 to 92, explores how love is experienced in these later-life relationships. The study found that love in these stages is often described as a deep, calm form of affection similar to parental love, or a sense of unity comparable to a sibling bond.