Married people are less afraid of their age

Married people are less afraid of old age than singles

14/03/2012

Married people are less afraid of getting older than singles and couples without a marriage certificate. This was the result of a representative survey conducted by the Gesellschaft für Konsumforschung (GfK) on behalf of the Zurich Group Germany.

Singles are more afraid of old age poverty
According to the GfK survey, married couples are less afraid of their age than unmarried couples and singles. 31 percent of married people are therefore afraid of poverty among old people, while among couples without marriage certificate 42 percent are afraid of it. Also in terms of emotional security, married people are calmer after the survey. 29 percent of respondents with a marriage certificate said they were afraid of loneliness in old age. Of the unmarried couples, 43 percent said they were afraid of being alone in old age. A similar result provided the information of singles and separated living.

But are married people happier too? Earlier this year, a US study by Cornell University in Ithaca showed that a relationship makes you happy, but a marriage certificate does not bring benefits. The opposite seems to be true according to the study: Couples without a marriage certificate are therefore happier than married couples.

Fear of illness in old age
According to the GfK survey, 99 percent of respondents want to be at least 70 years old. Almost one in three said they wanted to be at least 90 years old and nearly 16 percent wanted to be over 100 years old. However, eight out of ten respondents said they were afraid of illness in old age. 41 percent fear that they might once be a burden to their children or relatives because of illness or age-related frailty. About the loss of joy of life through the age worry 41 percent of respondents. (Ag)

Read about:
66 percent are afraid to forget the phone
Happiness in love makes you fat and round
Brain activity proves lifelong love
Study: Love is like an addiction