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Marriage and Family Life: The Middle and LateYears

years.An increasing number of women
complain their lives have been devoted to
their husbands and families.Thus,now
that their children are nearly grown,they
want out of their marriages,so they can
do what they want to do.
This may explain what is behind a
startling milestone: In 2005,married
couples became a minority of all
American households for the first time in
American history.Also for the first time,
the majority of American women (51%)
said they were living without a spouse,up
from 35% in 1950 and 49% in 2000
(Roberts,2007).Several factors are driving
the statistical shift.At one end of the age
spectrum,women are marrying later or
living with unmarried partners more
often and for longer periods.At the other
end,women are living longer as widows,
and,after a divorce,are more likely than
men to delay remarriage,sometimes
delighting in their newfound freedom
(Roberts,2007).

Menopause

During the middle years,both men and
women undergo gradual hormonal and
emotional changes associated with the
aging process.For women,this period—
menopause—signals the end of their
reproductive years.Menopause generally
is preceded byperimenopause,which
begins in some women as early as the

mid-thirties.Perimenopausal or

menopausal symptoms include irregular

menstrual periods,hot flashes,and night

sweats,most of which last until about one

year after the last period.Menopause

“officially”begins with a woman’s last

menstrual period.The post-menopausal

period can last the remainder of a

woman’s life.In addition to physical

symptoms,menopause involves emotional

symptoms,such as mood swings,

depression,irritability,and decreased

concentration and memory.

We often categorize menopause as a

“women only”phase in the life cycle.

Recent studies have reported men also

experience many of the symptoms

associated with female menopause.Male

menopause,as it is called,involves the

hormonal,physiological,and chemical

changes which occur in all men,generally

between the ages of 40 and 55.Like female

menopause,male menopause is a physical

During the middle years, both men and women undergo gradual

hormonal and emotional changes associated with the aging process.

Exercise helps reduce problems associated with the aging process.

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