Widowhood

Widowhood is a very common experience in the United States today, as it is and has been in other times and places. Marriages can end in only two ways: divorce and widowhood. While divorce has become much more frequent in our society in the past several decades, widowhood is still the most likely way for marriages to end among older persons, and the most common marital status among the very old. To understand the lives of older persons, an understanding of widowhood and its implications is essential.