Old People Are Getting Better at Dating
Get this, America: old people are dating. They may, in fact, be better at dating than you are. According to a recent Bowling Green State University study cited by Anna North in Jezebel, folks aged over 60 years old are the largest growing demographic in online dating. As the researchers explained, "the desire to find love and a companion to share life with has no expiration date." And notably, the older an online dater is, the more likely he or she is to focus on "honest self-representation and being compatible" as opposed to bragging about looks, status, or sexual prowess.
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With age, perhaps, we finally stop fooling around and get to the point. Women in particular "want to make a decision quickly and cut their losses, because they have learned life is too short for dating games.” Keep in mind, women typically live longer than men, which adds a certain emphasis to life being "too short" that younger daters may not think about.
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This research from Bowling Green State follows two relevant studies: One, a survey of singles from Match.com, found that older people were more orgasmic than younger daters, if more selective about what they were seeking. Another recent study from the University of Luxembourg and published in the Journal of Aging Research has determined that healthy older adults, particularly those over 63, are happier and more satisfied with their lives than younger people. Together, that sounds like an ideal combination for satisfactory dating.
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Of course, if these aspiring daters from a McDonald's commercial are any indication, some of the basic tenets of dating—being direct as a key example—are solid at any age.
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Aside from the fact that seniors are dating, online or otherwise, I think it's time to celebrate the fact that they're considered an actual target market, and treated as such. It's nice to see our elders get some dedicated TV time, too, even if it's only in a McDonalds' commercial.
