One common characteristic of populations throughout the world is the preponderance of women at older ages. Women are the majority of the elderly population in the vast majority of countries, and their share of the population increases with age. This gender imbalance at older ages has many implications for population and individual aging, perhaps the most important of which involve marital status and living arrangements. Family members are the main source of emotional and economic support for the elderly (see Note 1 at the end of text), although in some developed countries the state has assumed a larger share of the economic responsibilities. Marital status strongly affects many aspects of one’s life. Studies in developed countries (see Note 2 at the end of text) show that married people, particularly married men, are healthier and live longer than their non-married counterparts (1-4). Older married couples tend to be more financially secure than non-married people. Changes in marital status at older ages can affect pension potential, retirement income, and an individual’s social support network; many older widowed men, in particular, may lose contact with much of their support network after their wife dies (5). In contrast, widowed women tend to maintain their support network after the death of a spouse (6). Marital status also influences one’s living arrangements and affects the nature of caregiving that is readily available in case of illness or disability.