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I think "afford" is the key word in the post. Single households headed by senior females, on average, have lower incomes than those headed by senior males. Women live longer, meaning they're more likely to be the ones affected when the total SS income for the household drops by 1/3 after a spouse dies (from 150% of the primary earner's SS to the 100% Survivor benefit). Other resources may already have been depleted by the husband's final illness and/or LTC.
I'm a pleasant exception because I had a good job my entire adult life and was able to put money away- but I know I'm one of the fortunate ones.
After my grandma passed, my grandpa met the 2nd love of his life at 94 in the rest home. They got married. I guess it's never too late! My dad said "Maybe now I'll get that sister I always wanted". (the local news covered it, LOL)
There was an article awhile back in the NYT on this, if have time later on weekend will try to find.
Basically the USA is entering a period with an unheard of large demographic; middle aged, seniors and elderly women who never married, are divorced, widowed, or otherwise single. Sadly many of these BB women weren't left well provided for (if surviving spouse) and in many cases are outliving whatever savings, investments or whatever financials their husbands provided.
For the "never married" these women often came of age and spent much of their working career at a time when women were paid less. That and or they worked in "pink ghetto" careers (teaching, nursing, secretarial, etc....) and again ever earned much so their retirement savings, SS, pension (if they have one) may not be that large. In all cases it boils down to a few key things; one being women tend to live longer than men thus whatever funds they do have for their old age has to last.
The NYT piece profiled an elderly upstate NY widow who was having to leave her assisted living and move in with her spinster daughter essentially because her money ran out. The late husband did provide life insurance, savings, etc... but it was all mostly gone. It certainly wasn't enough to continue paying for care.
Now that daughter who as (IIRC) in her fifties and unmarried was going to be spending time taking care of her mother along with (obviously) having to provide some financial support. Article mentioned that for a single woman of her age this wasn't a great thing because the daughter was in her peak earning years and needed to sock away much as she could to save for her own retirement.
Point of article was that increasingly over next coming decades large numbers of females (and males) will entering their senior years "alone", and that is going to require changes in society.
Many are predicting more "Golden Girls" arrangements were senior women (and or men) live together in order to share expenses and form a sort of "family".
Again have said this before, WSJ merely blocks link backs; but you can easily find an article by doing an internet search (Google or whatever) using article title.
Took me all of two seconds to find the WSJ article using keywords: "Loneliest generation".
Bada Bing! Really easy and I do it with WSJ all the time
I think one reason, for the post WW2 generation, is that marriage fostered emotional and social dependence as well as financial.
I don't think this is all bad. I envy couples. I always wished I was part of one , but I spent most of my working life as a single female and I think it has made retirement easier.
I was talking to a peer recently and we were congratulating each other for making it through our 60's and really looking forward to the next decade. Neither of us can imagine the 80's, but neither of us is dreading them.
I don't mind aging alone. I'm much more afraid of being dependent and living out my life unhappy and making the people around me unhappy. I can't imagine not being able to go outside every day.... or at least opening a window.
I do think generations living together is the best for everyone but its not happening so much today. That may be another reason why there is more pressure on couples to fill each others needs and more fear of ending up "alone".
My sister moved our 87-year-old father into her house when it became clear that he could no longer live alone. It was very hard for him to adjust to a new location in a different state, and losing his independence brought out PTSD symptoms tracing back to his WWII service for which he needed therapy.
He didn't mean to be demanding, but like most old people, he WAS demanding (of time, attention, need to be driven around, need for help with self-care, etc.). Furthermore, after about a year he had a serious falling-out with my brother-in-law. With all the stress, my sister first became very depressed and then developed ALS. So they moved him into assisted living in their town; my sister died less than a year later.
Now, there are six siblings remaining but none of us lives anywhere near that town. Our dad had a hard enough time adjusting to a move when he was 87; now, at 94, we all agree he should not be moved again and in any case he needs more hands-on care than any of us can give. We also agree that brother-in-law, although nearby, has suffered enough at the hands of our father and has absolutely no remaining obligation to him.
So we worked out a system in which one of us visits him for a few days every month. With six siblings, that means twice a year each, which is not too onerous. Most of the time, he is alone, which he doesn't like, but we are doing the best we can.
Not all women have the smarts or wealth that you do.
Yeah, but the same can be said for men.
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(the local news covered it, LOL)
, but I spent most of my working life as a single female and I think it has made retirement easier.
