TY  - CHAP
AB  - Abstract Research on relational maintenance of long-distance or cross-residential romantic relationships is limited. Moreover, relatively little is known about relational maintenance among non-marital intimate partners in later life, many of whom prefer to live-apart-together (LAT) rather than cohabit. This research paper examines how older adults from the United States maintain their romantic relationships across residences. The authors conducted a grounded theory study drawing on interviews collected from 22 older adults in LAT relationships. The data revealed that older LAT partners engage in a process of safeguarding autonomy to maintain their partnerships and relationship satisfaction. Two broad strategies were identified: upholding separateness and reshaping expectations. While safeguarding autonomy was paramount, participants also emphasized the importance of having a flexible mindset about the physical copresence of their relationships. The findings have implications for practice, suggesting that creating an interdependent couple-identity may undermine, or at least have little bearing on, the relationship stability of older LAT couples. Future research is needed to determine how LAT experiences among racially/ethnically or socioeconomically diverse samples might differ.
VL  - 11
SN  - 978-1-78714-610-5, 978-1-78714-609-9/1530-3535
DO  - 10.1108/S1530-353520170000011009
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/S1530-353520170000011009
AU  - Benson Jacquelyn
AU  - Kerr Steffany
AU  - Ermer Ashley
PY  - 2017
Y1  - 2017/01/01
TI  - Living Apart Together Relationships in Later Life: Constructing an Account of Relational Maintenance
T2  - Intimate Relationships and Social Change
T3  - Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research
PB  - Emerald Publishing Limited
SP  - 193
EP  - 215
Y2  - 2024/04/24
ER  -