Over 50 isn’t over the hill – why older divorcees can have more fun

A new online survey by the over-50s group Saga reveals that older people are having the times of their lives – not least between the sheets!

Freed from the emotional and financial insecurities that can beset their younger years, Britain’s 50-somethings are said to be increasingly content with their health, relationships and – most of all – their sex lives.

The survey of 35,000 Britons, published this month, reveals that nearly half – 42 per cent – of over-50s who are sexually active are making love at least once a week, while a quarter are engaging in bedroom frolics once a fortnight. More than 60 per cent of respondents said that even though sex wasn’t as frequent as it used to be, it was “more fulfilling”.

Today’s 50-somethings are also happier about their health, according to the questionnaire; with almost two in three of those surveyed saying they were “satisfied” with their physical well-being compared to only a third of those under 50. Not only that; more people in the older age group were satisfied with their appearance too.

However sceptical you might be over the value of such research, what the Saga study underlines is the fact that getting divorce, and when when you’re older – which is a lot more common than it used to be – doesn’t mean your life is over. It shows you can enjoy good health, romance and a glowing self-confidence into your sixth decade and beyond.

Going through a divorce is difficult whatever your age, but there is a fear among older people that becoming a singleton in middle age is a barrier to creating a full and meaningful new life.

Benussi & Co has a growing number of female clients in their 50s and 60s who have decided to end long-term marriages. They have stayed with their husbands for many reasons – often because of the children – but finally have resolved to leave.

This takes courage: if you have been in a relationship, even an unhappy one, for decades, it is daunting to strike out alone.

But the increase in divorce among older age groups means there are plenty of mature new singletons out there, all eager to start a new and exciting chapter in their lives.

Just because you’re over 50 doesn’t mean you can’t look good: the media is full of images of more mature men and women who look as good, if not better, than they did in their 30s and 40s.

Many companies are happy to employ older people because they are thought more reliable and experienced, so there’s nothing to stop you starting your professional life, as well as your personal life, over again.

So if you’re worried about leaving the security and familiarity of a marriage that is long past its sell-by date, take heart from the Saga survey and resolve that your next half century will be your best!