Americans live longer and stay more active well past retirement, so it’s no surprise that the senior dating scene is more vibrant than ever. Demographics alone play a role. The population of divorced seniors has doubled since the 1990s, 39% of people ages 65 to 74 are divorced, and about 70% are widowed. That’s a sizeable dating pool, and it’s growing every year.
Perhaps you count yourself among those single seniors hoping to find love again, or you have a parent thinking of re-entering the dating scene. Here’s a look at how seniors today are navigating the dating landscape and discovering love again, both through digital means and in person:
Online Dating
According to the Pew Research Center, over 30% of American singles use online dating services, and older Americans are falling right in step with this trend. Seniors are currently considered the fastest-growing segment of online daters. Here are some of the most popular sites seniors 65+ are using right now:
- EHarmony has a feature specific to seniors and uses its Compatibility Matching System to find matches for its users, rather than requiring them to spend time combing through hundreds of profiles. After creating a profile, a user will be provided with a select group of compatible matches based on each person’s particular criteria.
- Silver Singles is a site exclusively for the fifty and older crowd. Members take a personality test and build a profile and then receive up to three to seven matches per day. Like eHarmony, Silver Singles bases its matches on compatibility, and users can filter for specifics such as mature dating or older women dating.
- Our Time, a subsidiary of match.com, is also aimed toward those over fifty. On this site, members can search for matches and receive recommended matches based on their criteria. Once you’ve found a match, Our Time has a list of local events for fun date options, including cocktail hours, cooking classes, and live shows.
Senior Centers
There are over 10,000 senior centers in the US, offering everything from language classes to aerobics to robust volunteer opportunities – and yes, dating opportunities too! These community centers can be an excellent way for seniors to meet outside the confines of an actual date, without the pressure of expectations, and get to know one another organically. Check out the National Council on Aging to find one in your neighborhood.
Senior Living Communities
These vibrant senior communities are another great example of older Americans leading longer and more active lives, and finding love again is undoubtedly part of that landscape. Over 75% of seniors moving into a senior living community are single, divorced, or widowed. Choosing to live within a community offers these seniors new opportunities for companionship, such as time relaxing at happy hour or spent together exchanging ideas in a book group or a painting class.
Thinking of giving dating a try but not sure where to start? You might want to consider hiring a dating coach or matchmaking service. Learn more at the New York Times.