Is There Life and Dating for 50+ Singles?

Is there life after divorce for people over who are over 50? Yes there is. I am sure that you have heard that the 55 and over crowd is the fastest growing segment of the American population right now. Many people are finding that as they age they are no longer compatible with the partner that they chose ten, twenty, even thirty or more years ago. Though the relationship is grinding to a halt and one or both partners may be living in misery, they hesitate to make that decisive move and ask for a divorce. A lot of people who have been married a long time, especially women, don't think that they will be able to find another suitable partner if they separate from the one that they have now.

Over the course of the relationship they may have put on a few extra pounds, or their body has changed since they were young and seeking their current mate. Even men have fears of not being desirable to the opposite sex, or not being able to find women in their own age group that they enjoy. Both parties are definitely not about to go to a nightclub and try to pick someone up there, they just couldn't envision themselves doing such a thing! However after being half of a couple for so long they are terrified that they will end up growing old alone and finding that the choice to end the relationship with their former spouse may have been a mistake. It is kind of a "spouse in the hand" type of mentality. Then there are those people who, following years of living in a successful marriage, find themselves losing their spouse to illness, heart attack, stroke, and cancer. After the grieving process has gone by and you begin to sort out where your life is headed now in regard to your personal needs, and the desire to find a companion to spend the remaining years of your life with.

People are meeting each other every day, not just chance meetings at work or on the street. Though you may meet the new man of your dreams while you're having your morning cup of coffee, there are events for older singles going on in every community, people are taking out personal ads both on and offline, and searching for their Mr. or Mrs. Right in cyberspace. This way they can slowly ease their way back into the dating mode. They can get to know people online before they actually go out with them. In fact, I was recently asked to build a Yahoo Personals profile for a woman that was a vibrant and lively 81 years old. The woman is widowed after over 50 years of marriage, she has raised her kids, run both a business, and a family with her husband and envisions the years of her life that she has ahead of her still as being in need of companionship.

Mind you that this woman was not strictly concerned with companionship, she very bluntly states that she would like to continue to enjoy sex and that this is one of her main concerns in seeking a man. She is not searching for a younger man either, both she and her children do not envision her with anyone thirty to fourty years her junior. She was specifically searching for a man between 65 and 75 years old, and to my surprise we found several that filled her general criteria and even emailed a couple of them to see if they wished to chat online. She is currently actively dating and as her kids say, playing the field and having fun doing it. She says that she feels 20 years younger at least.

That the desire for companionship and for sex isl not a concern of people over 50 is a misconception of many young people. Older people still want to love and be loved and share every aspect of their lives and their bodies too. Couple that desire to share the golden years with a partner of the opposite or even same sex, and the number of people who are either widowed and lost their partner after many successful years of marriage, or people that find that once the kids are grown and the time has come for them as a couple that they do not share the same desires, dreams, or needs with their partner. What you get is a completely unrecognized segment of the dating population. I have seen dating websites for people of color, dating broken down by ethnicity or by sexual preference. I have even seen dating sites for couples looking to date other like minded couples and even individuals.

What I have not found is a site that caters to those who are seeking love after 50. With people living longer and healthier lives, there is the potential for many more wonderful years to share with someone else, or to pursue your dreams after retirement. There is absolutely no reason that there shouldn't be dating after age 50, so for those who choose to pursue a mate in this age group, no matter what your friends and intimates may say, only you know how you feel. When we were young we used to tell our parents "It's my life." Well now it is time to say the same thing to your children and to your friends. Life is too short to spend it alone if you don't want to.