by Marco Lavanna
When word got out that former Vice President Al Gore and wife Tipper were splitting up, older Americans were in shock. Having just celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary not long before the news came out, people thought Al and Tipper were the epitome of a lasting, happy marriage.
These days, many couples are finding themselves in similar situations. All the reasons that used to keep couples together, like children, evaporate once the children are grown and left home. Too many older couples find they no longer have anything in common with each other.
For older people who’ve been in a committed relationship for several decades, the dating scene of today seems foreign and frightening. Many things have changed in the last 20-40 years, not the least of which is the advent of the internet. Avenues to meeting people that were available to them earlier in life may feel closed in later years.
Most senior singles don’t want to hit the bar scene like they may have done when they were in their twenties. Blind dates, never anyone’s favorite option, is harder when most of your friends are married. Newspapers these days rarely offer the personal classified sections that they used to.
Married couples tend to hang out with other married people so when someones finds themself single over 60, they often don’t know any single people. If a senior single is still working, there is opportunities to meet other senior singles through the work environment but retirees are often left with little choice.
The modern way to meet others has become the internet. The web of today is a much richer, more interactive environment than it was even a few years ago. Social networking is today’s mix and mingle. Social networking sites are those like Facebook, Twitter and similar sites where you can keep in touch with family and friends. Today, these sites are also the way many are making new friends.
Online dating sites have replaced the club scene for many people but online dating can be more indimidating to a single senior due to not being as familiar with the media. Plus many online dating sites cater to the younger singles from 18 to 40 so there aren’t many other single seniors. However, sites like Senior Dating USA are changing that for many older singles.
Rather than opening registration to anyone and everyone, Senior Dating USA limits membership to those 40 and older. It is designed for those single seniors to find and get to know other older singles from all over the United States. Like other dating sites, a senior single can fill out their detailed profile of who they are and what type of person they want to meet. They are then shown potential matches based on their answers so that they only are introduced to other senior singles that appeal to them.