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TORONTO, Ontario — The secret to aging gracefully may be finding that special someone to spend your life with — especially if you’re a man. New research suggests the key to living with vigor and vitality appears to lie in the most fundamental of human bonds: marriage.
A groundbreaking study published in the journal International Social Work has uncovered a remarkable connection between marital status and “successful aging” among older adults. Specifically, the findings reveal that for men, the protective effects of marriage are truly remarkable, with married or recently married respondents up to nearly four times more likely to achieve optimal physical, mental, and social well-being compared to their single peers.
“Little is known about the relationship between marital trajectories in old age and successful aging,” explains lead author Mabel Ho, a recent doctoral graduate at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Institute of Life Course and Aging, in a media release. “Our goal was to see whether different marital trajectories were associated with physical health and well-being, and whether these relationships varied for men and women.”
The study’s expansive definition of “successful aging” went well beyond just physical fitness, also encompassing freedom from serious mental illness, adequate social support, and a sense of subjective well-being. The results were striking – 70% of the 7,641 older Canadians surveyed were aging optimally according to this comprehensive measure. However, marital status emerged as a crucial differentiating factor, particularly for men.
“Previous studies have shown that marriage is associated with better health outcomes for both men and women, while men who were never married generally had the poorest health outcomes,” notes David Burnes, Professor and Canada Research Chair at FIFSW. “It may be that married people encourage each other to adopt or maintain positive health behaviors such as quitting smoking or exercising regularly.”
Intriguingly, the researchers did not find the same strong link between marital trajectories and successful aging for women. The only exception was that women who transitioned from married to unmarried status (through divorce, separation, or the death of their spouse) were significantly less likely to age optimally compared to their never-married peers.
Ho explains that women tend to have broader social support systems and more experience maintaining their health and well-being independently, even when going through major life changes.
Marriage may not be a magic bullet, but the researchers note that their findings suggest it provides an important protective effect, especially for men, that society can’t afford to overlook. Ultimately, the study points to the crucial need for tailored, gender-specific approaches to supporting older adults through life’s inevitable transitions. Whether it’s grief counseling for those navigating widowhood or programs to foster social engagement for the unmarried, the message is clear: the secret to graceful aging may lie not just in our own hands but in the hands of those we hold dearest.
Paper Summary
Methodology
The researchers used data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a national, population-based study following over 50,000 Canadians between 45 and 85 years-old. They focused on 7,641 respondents 60 and older who were classified as “aging successfully” at the study’s baseline.
Successful aging was defined using a multidimensional model that looked at physical, mental, psychological, and social well-being. Respondents had to meet criteria like having no limitations in daily activities, no chronic pain, no serious mental illnesses, adequate social support, and good self-perceived health.
The team then analyzed how trajectories of marital status (e.g. continuously married, continuously widowed, transitioning to/from marriage) over the course of the study were associated with successful aging at the follow-up time point. They also looked at potential moderating factors like age, sex, income, health conditions, and social isolation.
Key Results
The study found that the prevalence of successful aging at follow-up was 70.5%. Compared to never-married respondents, those who were continuously married, continuously widowed, or became married during the study had significantly higher odds of being successful agers.
This effect was especially pronounced for men. Among male respondents, those who were continuously married, continuously widowed, or became married were 2.5-3.8 times more likely to be aging successfully compared to never-married men. In contrast, marital trajectories were not as strongly linked to successful aging for women, with the exception of those transitioning from married to not married.
Study Limitations
The study’s relatively short time frame (3-4 years) may have limited the ability to fully capture changes in marital status and their effects on aging. Additionally, the CLSA sample skews towards very well-educated older adults, so the findings may not be generalizable to the broader older adult population.
Discussion & Takeaways
This research provides important insights into how our closest relationships can profoundly influence the aging process, with marriage appearing to offer particular benefits for men’s health and well-being in later life. The findings underscore the need for social services and policies that support older adults through major life transitions, like the loss of a spouse.
Funding & Disclosures
This research was funded by the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), which is supported by the Government of Canada through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Canada Foundation for Innovation. The authors report no conflicts of interest.
As a widower, I can attest that the time following my wife’s death has been followed by a rapid decline in many aspects. To be honest, intimacy bereavement has been very, very hard. I wake up and go to bed every evening missing the same face I saw and soft voice I heard for decades. Life, at this point, is empty and devoid of joy. Even after I tried to get to know a widow, the feelings weren’t the same. I am grateful for who I once had, but have emotionally flatlined that there is nobody out there. To paraphrase someone much wiser than me, “It’s a shame to be lonely in a world full of lonely people, when I could find someone to share that loneliness with.”
I have not read this study, but my first thought is that married men live longer because they are more affluent than men who woman will not marry. Having income security is what really makes the difference, not a marriage certificate. People with money score higher in just about every measure of health and happiness, but men with little wealth are far less desirable as life partners than men with money. Financial security is what is being measured here, not the effects of marriage.