Remarriage in Elderly: A Qualitative Research

Yeniar Indriana 
(Psychology Faculty, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia)

Abstract: In elderly life, the phenomenon of losing spouse is considered as a natural thing, especially since the death of spouse. Life as a widow or widower is also encountered in the community. However, although not too much, some elderly people get married again after losing their partners. They feel loneliness and expect to live much happier with the presence of a new partner. Remarriage is mostly done by elderly men than women.
    This study used qualitative method to conduct in-depth interviews on all subjects. Three of them are elderly men 68, 72, 75 and two others are 65 and 67 years elderly women. This study aims to explore: (1) What are the factors that encourage elder people to marry again? (2) Are there any difference objectives in elderly men and women who remarried?
    Results showed that the remarriage of elderly men because of their need to have younger wife to take care of them. Their couples are eager to improve their life due to the fact that he has a steady income or pension. One of elderly women remarried in order to survive and stay together. Another subject gets remarried since she was reunited with her ex-boyfriend to make amends for her faults in the past because of marrying her parents choice.

Key words: remarriage, elderly men, elderly women