Remarriage, Unmarried Cohabitation, Living Apart Together: Partner Relationships Following Bereavement or Divorce

摘要: Substantial proportions of people enter into new partner relationships after bereavement or divorce. Nowadays in Europe, unmarried cohabitation and living-apart-together are frequently opted for at repartnering. Drawing on the Netherlands' Living Arrangements Social Networks survey men women aged 55 to 89 years (N = 4,494), this article explicates determinants that lead widowed divorced old types relationships. Cox proportional hazard regression analyses revealed age most recent union dissolution, number dissolutions, working during other demographic variables important weighing pros cons different living arrangements. Key Words: cohabitation, coresidence, older adults, remarriage. For those still first marriage, increase life expectancy results a longer duration bond through aging together. A growing percentage adults (Wu & Penning, 1997) face possibility long periods alone. Some remarry, but so-called relationships-where partners maintain separate households finances share quarters an intermittent temporary basis-are becoming more common Northern Western Europe (Bumpass, Sweet, Martin, 1990; Chevan, 1996; Davidson, 2002; de Jong Gierveld Peelers, 2003; Karllson Borell, Stevens, Waite, 1995; Wu Balakrishnan, 1994). Elderly people's strategies optimal level social well-being addressed socioemotional selectivity theory (Carstensen, 1992). In theory, primacy goals is expected be related time constraints. When perceived limited, as case many emotional assume over acquisition knowledge. Empirical research has shown prefer familiar relationships, "older couples regulate emotion way should help preserve what very late-life relationship-marriage" 1995, p. 155). The emphasizes preserving close Isaacowitz, Charles, 1999). Until now, however, formation emotionally among not been widely examined within (Lang, 2001). article, I investigate incidence repartnering relationship. doing so, differentiate between who start consensual union, begin BACKGROUND New Partner Relationships Later Life: Goals, Opportunities, Restrictions alone later widowhood divorce increases risks loneliness, with might helpful increasing (de Gierveld, 1998; van Baarsen Broese Groenou, Men particular appear adapt less easily loss their (Lee, Willets, Seccombe, 1998), benefit than from (Antonucci, 1994; Bograd Spilka, Cooney Dunne, Finding may attractive option especially (Dykstra, 1990) feel deprived taken-for-granted attentive activities were carried out them by former wives (Mason, 1996). Others, particularly widows, hesitate give up freedom independence they enjoyed coming terms (Lopata, Pyke, opting either sharing household partner, one weigh both options. Sharing household-that say, couplemay provide personal care, reciprocal attention support, companionship, division tasks. …