The proportion of divorced or separated seniors who are 65 and older has tripled in the last three decades, according to the latest Statistics Canada figures.
In 1981, only four per cent of seniors 65 and older were divorced or separated. By 2011, that number had risen to 12 per cent.
However, the majority of those seniors ended up finding another partner, whether they got married again or moved in with a common-law spouse.
In 2011, 76 per cent of senior men and 55 per cent of senior women who ended up single eventually found love again, according to StatsCan. About three-quarters of them re-married, while the rest ended up in common-law unions.
The 2011 figures also suggest that the rates of divorce and common-law relationships will likely increase with Canada’s future seniors.
About 20 per cent of people between the ages of 55 and 64 were either divorced or separated in 2011. About 3 in 10 also had at least two unions during their lifetimes, compared to 19 per cent of those 65 and older.
Common-law relationships were also more prevalent among that age group in 2011. Twelve per cent of Canadians between 55 and 64 had common-law partners, compared to only six per cent among those 65 and older.
StatsCan also notes that senior couples are now closer in age. Close to half of Canada’s 1.7 million senior couples had an age difference of three years or less in 2011, up from 40 per cent in 1981.
