European demographers have found that people born between 1945 and 1957 feel better in old age when they have a stable marriage. This is reported by the European Journal of Population.
Miiika Mäki, who led the research, assumed that well-being in old age is determined by the entire life trajectory rather than just current conditions. To test this hypothesis, the researchers analyzed data from SHARE, including over 18,000 respondents from EU countries, Switzerland, and Israel aged 60 and older. They were asked about the history of their romantic relationships—from first dates to marriages and divorces.
The researchers identified five main life trajectories: stable marriage, remarriage, divorce without subsequent partnership, serial cohabitation, and loneliness. The majority of participants belonged to the stable marriage group, while the options of loneliness and serial cohabitation were significantly less common.
It turned out that the highest level of well-being in old age is demonstrated by people in stable marriages, regardless of their education level. Meanwhile, the lowest quality of life indicators were found among divorced individuals with low education levels, indicating the vulnerability of those with limited social and economic resources when losing a partner.
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