[tag]Older couples relationship problems[/tag] can face a hurdle that those under, say 50, rarely do… and it can be a crippling handicap.

We hear a lot about the differences in generations, but this is one side-effect that is rarely mentioned. Older people tend to be more independent. “I’ve handled things all my life, and I’m not about to change” is almost a motto among many

But that’s the problem. They’ve developed coping strategies for a different era. If they’re not happy now, their approach has been less successful in their current circumstances than they would have hoped.

And certainly, the thought of laying out their woes to a younger person – no matter well qualified to help in either a therapeutic or counseling role – is extremely difficult.

Yet the stresses on the relationship, often exacerbated by lifestyle changes brought about by retirement, increase in direct proportion to the time they spend together. Particularly if it’s in a new ‘retirement haven’. While one partner may relish the new freedoms and opportunities, the other may feel empty without the family, friends and routines of their long-term environment.

Often, then, it’s their approach to this stage of life that creates friction in the relationship. By finding what’s working for each partner and looking for common ground, a new purpose and routine that fits the retirement years may be possible.

Transform A Marriage By Understanding Why Men Are The Way They Are!

Filed under: Relationships

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