clipped from: www.nhs.uk “Being married protects you against Alzheimer's in later life,” the Daily Mail reported. The newspaper said that researchers found that people who have a partner in middle age have half the risk of developing dementia compared to those who live alone. However, getting divorced or becoming widowed in middle age triples the risk of dementia.
It has often been suggested that marital status has an impact on health and quality of life. This study assessed the relationship between marital status in 2,000 middle-aged people (average age 50) and their cognitive impairment about 21 years later. It found that the risk of any cognitive impairment almost doubled if a person was alone in middle age compared to having a partner. Being without a partner in both middle age and later life further increased risk.