Online Dating for Senior Citizens
Anthony Ekanem
Technically, a person is considered a senior citizen when they reach the age of 65. However, that’s not always the way the general public feels – especially those who have hit the age of 50.
To some people, this might send them into spasms of denial. After all, how can you be 60 when you still feel 30 in your mind? But, really, that’s a good way to think. It’s been said many, many times that age is simply a number – it’s a state of mind how old you actually are!
If you're over 50 years old, you've likely heard many times by now that you're over the hill. What started this rumor that once you've reached the middle of your life, it's all downhill from there?
Today's baby-boomers will stop at nothing to put an end to this rumor. They'll prove that the over 50 crowd is stronger and smarter than ever. Those over age 50 are more physically active than ever. Many have a decent amount of disposable income. They are politically active, culturally motivated and in tune with modern trends.
Mark Twain once said “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.” Truer words, I think, have never been spoken! So you’re a senior citizen – so what! Life doesn’t have to be relegated to planting flowers and rocking on your front porch talking about the good old days. Believe me; the good old days are just starting!
With maturity comes new knowledge and experiences that you can embrace and enjoy. You are blessed with the past memories you can share with those around you – your loved ones. But what if you’re a single senior? Is all hope lost for sharing your life and those memories with someone else? Not a chance!
Many of those over the age of 50 actively date. Loss of a spouse or partner due to death or divorce or other life situation is no longer the beginning of many lonely years spent in mourning. Instead, dating for the over 50 crowd is big business.
At one time, dating for seniors was essentially unthought-of. The general consensus “back in the day” was that you found someone to marry and stayed married to them forever. Once they passed away, you were expected to simply live out the rest of your days as a widow or widower. Well, the times have changed.
Divorce can also bring you to a newly single status. The divorce rate today is alarmingly high, but for some people, there just isn’t another option.
Studies have shown that staying single can also put your health at risk. Researchers from the University of Chicago and Duke University have found that the longer a man spends in divorced or widower state:
This particular study only involved men, but we’re willing to be that women run those same risks as well. It makes sense then to get back out in the social scene and date – for your health!
If you're over 50 and you'd like to date, put your fears aside. There are so many safe ways to meet others who are in a similar situation. No longer do those over 50 have to rely on friends or family or neighbors to provide them with dating opportunities.
Why should you be expected to be alone when you still have so much life to live? You shouldn’t! So you need to get out there and meet people – date, have fun, make new memories, have new experiences! What’s the best way to do that?
At one time, the only places to meet people were at church, in the grocery store, or through family and friends. Today, we have the Internet and you should take advantage of everything it has to offer in your journey back into the dating world.
Meeting new people can be challenging at any age, but for the senior, it can be especially daunting. If you’ve spent years with one person, you may not know where to begin. We think that’s normal, but don’t worry.
A quick search on the Internet shows there are many, many websites dedicated to dating for the senior set. But it can be daunting – especially for those who aren’t Internet savvy. That’s where we come in!
We can’t teach you the ins and outs of the Internet, but we’re betting since you’ve bought this book, you already are somewhat computer literate. You don’t have to know everything about the Internet to start dating online. You just need to know how to log on.
Inside this book, you’ll find everything you need to know to get started in the online dating scene. We’ll give you all kinds of tips and tricks on how to create your online profile, what to look for in a potential date, and ways to keep yourself safe.
So read on and learn all about “Online Dating for Senior Citizens”!
Online dating refers to a number of websites that offer services to individuals or groups who wish to meet people online for social or romantic relationships. You dictate what type of relationship you are looking for which gives you complete control over whom you talk to and who you don’t.
Simply put, an online dating service is basically a community of people who gather together to interact, socialize, and make friends with each other. Most hope that love will come their way through the site, but at the very least, they want to find a way to date a diverse and unique person they may not have the opportunity to meet in their “real lives”.
There are a myriad of websites that cater to this service and this especially true for seniors. A quick search on the Internet will reveal an abundance of dating opportunities for those over 50.
The process involved in meeting someone online can vary from site to site. The basic process for meeting another person online is for an individual to sign on to an online dating site by entering a unique username and password that applies only to that individual.
Some of these sites are free; others require you to pay a monthly membership fee. Almost all will give you a free trial period to see if you like the site and what it has to offer. You’re probably going to have a better experience with a site that requires paid membership, but we’ll address that a little later.
Once a person is signed up for the service, they are normally required to create a user profile, which involves filling out an electronic form that asks specific questions. These questions can range from geographical details to favorite food to sexual orientation.
You will also be asked what type of person you want to meet and what qualities you’d like for them to possess. You can also specify a geographical area you would like them to be from.
A person’s information is then entered into the site’s database, and users have various ways of accessing another user’s profile.
You may be able to create a personal profile as well that tells others specific details about you. This can include experiences or memories you might want to share all the way to dreams and goals you want to achieve. We have a separate section on the best way to create your personal profile so you can receive the best results.
You will also be able to enter a photograph of yourself. Again, we touch on this later. A picture can be a great starting point to meeting that special someone though it’s not the main point.
Users can also search an online dating site for a compatible match, which is determined by technological profiling of the information a user has supplied to the site. More commonly, users post photos of themselves on their profile to give others a general idea of their type.
However, the online aspect of dating services normally requires users to judge one another on their ideas, how they present themselves, and the overall impression they give.
Physical presence rarely factors in to making a connection with another person on the Internet, and this is no different for online dating.