The key to a happy retirement? The person you're sharing it with
Almost four in five (78%) older people are satisfied with their life nowadays, and personal relationships appear to be a key factor in determining how happy these later years will be.
Almost four in five (78%) older people are satisfied with their life nowadays, and personal relationships appear to be a key factor in determining how happy these later years will be.
Nine out of 10 older people in couples say their relationship is very important for a happy retirement, and 75% of older people who are in a relationship are most likely to turn to their partner in times of need.
These are some of the main findings from a new survey of people aged 50 and over in Great Britain, commissioned by Relate, the UK’s leading relationship support organisation, and conducted by Ipsos. The survey questioned 1,390 people about their attitudes to personal relationships as they grow older.
The results also show that whilst personal relationships are important in shaping older people’s happiness, good health and financial security are rated just as, if not more, importantly. When asked to choose from a list of factors, older people who are married or in a couple cite their relationship with their partner or spouse as the second most important thing to them after good health (54% compared with 66%).
Furthermore, there are clear differences between the genders in terms of what they see as most important in old age. Couple relationships appear to be more important for men than women, for example, men are more likely to say they rely on their spouse or partner in times of need (58% compared to 33%).
Technical Note The research was conducted using Ipsos’s Capibus between 18 February and 04 March 2013. Interviews were conducted face-to-face, in the home, with 1,390 adults aged 50+ across Great Britain. The survey data are weighted to the known population profile of the adult population aged 50 and over of Great Britain.
