Society
Neither grandchildren nor retirement: study reveals key to living happily after age 60
A study by Lancaster University in the UK reveals in its latest research that couples over 60 are happier after this strange choice.
A widespread phenomenon in relationships is that of ‘LAT Couples’, whose acronym stands for Living Apart Together. Although these types of couples maintain an intimate relationship, they choose to live in separate residences.
The University of Lancaster (United Kingdom) has studied this concept of couple in depth, in collaboration with another British centre, University College London, where experts have carried out a study on couples over 60 years of age.
This research has shown that the key to living happily after turning 60, for couples who are at or above that age, is to live in different homes. A conclusion that may be shocking, given that it tends to occur more frequently in younger couples who have not yet taken the step towards living together.
However, the study has shown a greater mental well-being for couples in this age group. In turn, the British university cites in its statement that those who leave a marriage “experience a decline in mental health”, while LAT is consolidated as a balanced alternative for older adults seeking to establish a relationship.
Model more established in society
Meanwhile, for those who leave a long-term relationship, the impact on mental health is much less than for those who leave a marriage or cohabitation, according to the study. For many, living under the same roof is a social imposition and not an option chosen by the couple, so they prefer to maintain that independence in order to achieve a more sincere and lasting relationship.
“It is time we saw and recognised the power of intimate, often invisible, connections beyond the home to sustain the wellbeing of older adults,” said Yang Hu, a professor at Lancaster University and co-author of the study with Rory Coulter from University College London.
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