Aim of the study was to determine how older people adjust to a life without marital partner, after his/her death in relation to how long they have been living without marital partner. Respondents and methods – the study consisted of 185 respondents from Osijek-Baranja County, widows/widowers older than 65 years, divided into two categories. First category consists of those without a partner for up to 6 months, and the other one consists of those without a partner for three years or more. Condition for the participation in the study was that they are mobile, and that respondents do not suffer from severe mental illness. The study was done as a cross-section study. Results – respondents living without their marital partner for up to 6 months, 23 (25 %) of them evaluated their financial condition as very good, and after the death only 8 (8.7%) of them, while only one respondent evaluated his/her financial condition as bad before the death of their marital partner, and 21 (22.8%) of them after the death. Respondents who lost their marital partner more than 3 years ago rate their financial condition significantly more as medium or bad. When it comes to sex and the amount of time without marital partner, financial condition is rated much poorer after the death of the marital partner. Both groups have lower sleep quality and appetite after the death of a marital partner. Conclusion – we can conclude that, based on the study and acquired results, adjustment to single life is difficult the first 6 months after the death of the marital partner, and it is mostly satisfactory with the respondents whose martial partners died more than three years ago.