Dating in Your 60’s? Here Are 5 Helpful Tips
Getting older doesn’t meant that things like romance, sex and companionship are no longer going to be a part of your life. Though we think about dating as a young person’s game, it’s not something that older people don’t have the desire to partake in.
The reasons why we generally think about people in their 20’s and 30’s when we think about dating are pretty obvious. In general, we look at that as the age at which you are supposed to start thinking about family, kids and settling down.
It’s all because our perspective on dating is really quite restricted. We expect people in their 60s to have already achieved all of those things, but that’s not always the case. Of course, some older people are widowed, some have gone through divorce or separation, and some just never met the right person.
And taking it one step further than that, there are many who are actually not interested in ‘coupling up’ as such, which doesn’t actually mean that they don’t want to date. Dating is not necessarily all about finding someone to be with on a long-term basis.
It’s also just a fun activity in itself. It’s about meeting new people, having new experiences, and other things maybe if the date goes well. So isn’t it strange that there is a distinct lack of dating advice for people over 60?
If that’s a category you fall into, let’s have a look at a few tips:
- Choose the Right Dating Sites
If you are someone who is coming back to dating after being out of the game for several years, one of the biggest differences you will probably notice between then and now is the sheer amount of dating sites.
They’ve been a thing since the ‘90s, but now that everyone has a smartphone there are dozens of different apps and sites for dating and hookups. Using these services can be a little bit difficult for an older person, but it is a great way to meet someone new.
You do tend to have less opportunities to meet someone by the traditional route, and so going online can help you out a lot. But some apps and sites are going to be more friendly to older people.
A site like Tinder which is all based on quick reactions to someone’s pictures and is packed with young people probably won’t yield any results. There are a few which you will be better suited to, sites like eHarmony and Match are good because of how comprehensive the profiles are. There are also others such as Silver Singles and Senior Match which are catered specifically to older people and they would be worth exploring too.
- Go For Less Taxing Activities
The older you are, the less energy you are going to have and that will alter the kind of activities that you should aim for when going on a date. As much as you might feel like you are able for a night of dancing or drinking, you have to be realistic.
And you also have to consider the fact that the person you are dating might have even less energy than you do and so it’s best to pick an activity that is calm and quiet. Maybe try something in the afternoon instead of at night so that you won’t be tired.
There are lots of fun activities that would fall into that category. You could go for a walk in the park, you could have a picnic, visit the farmer’s market or even go for a meal in an outdoor restaurant.
- Be Honest
I think this especially applies to putting together profiles on dating sites. You have to be honest about your mind and your body. Older people generally have a lot of insecurity when it comes to dating and will often lie about their age.
Or maybe even lie about their past or what’s currently going on in their lives. The truth is always the better option, because lies are unsustainable, especially if you are actually looking for something that is long-term.
If someone isn’t going to want to date you based on any insecurities that you have, which you may feel like lying about, then that person probably isn’t right for you. It’s better to find someone who you are actually compatible with, without having to not be yourself.
- Don’t Forget About Safety
Okay, you’ve been around for a while and you probably know far more about this than I do, but it’s essential that you keep in mind your health when it comes to sexual activity. It’s different obviously, because there’s not going to be any accidental pregnancies, but there’s still STDs to consider.
There is nothing stopping an older person from getting any kind of sexually-transmitted infection or disease, and due to a weaker and more worn-down body, chances are that it will have a much more significant effect on your health.
So with that in mind, I would make sure if you are sexually active, with multiple different partners, that you get regular screenings for STDs. Also, sex is a physically demanding activity and it’s something you might want to be careful with.
Don’t push yourself if you start to get fatigued and try to avoid more, shall we say, strenuous positions.
- Think Hard About Your Priorities
Much like those who are dating in their youth, not every older person is going to be looking for all of the same things out of their dating life. Some people want to find someone to spend the rest of their life with and others just want to have fun.
Everybody has found themselves on a date with someone who they soon realize has completely different priorities to them, but it’s so much more difficult to find someone to date and to actually physically go out when you’re in your 60s that one incompatible date can feel like a huge blow.
The more you know about the person and what they want before you go out with them the better. That way you can avoid wasting your time and the time of the other person who’s involved.
Dating is scary no matter what age you are, but it’s scary for different reasons when you are older. If you keep all of this stuff in mind, you should be able to offset a lot of that anxiety and enjoy dating as much as you did as a youngster.
