It is often claimed that ‘love is ageless’. But is this really true? This chapter raises the question: is there something that sets intimate relationships in later life apart from relationships in earlier parts of the life course? While earlier chapters have considered how intimate relationships in later life are shaped by historical and cultural conditions, this chapter instead focuses on how they are shaped by the particular existential structure of later life. It is argued that old age is a life phase characterized by a paradox of time: that of having lots of available free time, but little time left in life – and that this existential structure shapes intimacy in later life. It is further argued that the scope of this theoretical insight is much wider than the topic of intimate relationships.
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