Older dating ready for a new beginning elitesingles


Older dating: your new beginning starts here
In other words, if you are looking for love later in life, you are far from alone. EliteSingles’ Partner Psychologist and Relationships Coach, Sam Owen agrees that those dating after 50 shouldn’t ‘’feel despondent,’’ as ‘’being single in your 50s is increasingly common.’’ The statistics prove her point: according to the 2013 Census, approximately 33% of the NZ population is over 50 1 and many of these people are single. Indeed, Statistics New Zealand says that “one-person households will account for 29% of all households [by] 2031… with almost three-quarters of [this] growth occurring among those aged 55 years and over.’’ 2 If the projections are accurate, it would seem that the mature dating boom is just beginning – so what better time than now to get involved?
Older dating: your new beginning starts here
Are you an older single who is looking for love in NZ? You are far from alone! At EliteSingles a growing number of our Kiwi members are aged 50+, meaning that if you are looking for a relationship with someone on your wavelength, you’ve come to the right place. Register today to find out more!
The rise of ‘senior’ dating in NZ
There are two things to know about the older dating scene in NZ. One, it is thriving and two: so-called ‘senior’ daters are not as doddering as that name might suggest! Indeed, while the term senior might bring with it mental pictures of blue rinses and carpet slippers, in practice mature daters are simply those who have been round the block once or twice. They might be bereaved, divorced or yet to settle down but they share a common goal of finding love and companionship.
In other words, if you are looking for love later in life, you are far from alone. EliteSingles’ Partner Psychologist and Relationships Coach, Sam Owen agrees that those dating after 50 shouldn’t ‘’feel despondent,’’ as ‘’being single in your 50s is increasingly common.’’ The statistics prove her point: according to the 2013 Census, approximately 33% of the NZ population is over 50 1 and many of these people are single. Indeed, Statistics New Zealand says that “one-person households will account for 29% of all households [by] 2031… with almost three-quarters of [this] growth occurring among those aged 55 years and over.’’ 2 If the projections are accurate, it would seem that the mature dating boom is just beginning – so what better time than now to get involved?
Older dating and the internet – the perfect fit?
Of course, it is one thing to know that there are others like you out there. Finding them is quite another! Although there are plenty of Kiwis flying solo after 50, determining who is and isn’t available can be an awkward process. After all, not everybody has other singles in their work or friendship circles and meeting someone socially can be tricky at best. Yet there is one place where you can reliably find more mature daters – on the web. Indeed, the fastest growing online dating group is the over 50s. 3,4
It’s really not surprising that internet dating is so popular with those aged 50, 60 or even 70+. After all, online dating sites like EliteSingles offer an excellent opportunity to clearly lay out personality and relationship desires. This is ideal for those on the older dating scene as their previous romantic experiences will have taught them what they do and don’t want from a relationship. In other words, mature daters know what they need in a person in order to make a meaningful connection, while online dating offers a space in which to see these needs met. It’s a match made in heaven, and one you can become a part of today!
Is older dating good for your health? Another piece of great news for those trying older dating is that finding romance can improve your quality of life. Studies have shown that happiness levels rise with the frequency of sex– no matter how old the participants. 5 As Sam Owen says, ’’a loving romantic relationship can assist an increase in self-esteem and confidence, especially if you have been feeling a bit like you have been left on the shelf.’’ Of course, a loving relationship doesn’t necessarily have to be sexual to be fulfilling. Indeed, Owen believes that the love in itself can boost self esteem. This in itself is good news as ‘’an increase in self-esteem helps us to make better decisions, experience fewer negative emotions [and] feel more optimistic about the world.”
Finding comfort in companionship Finding love as an older single can make you feel wonderful, a fact that applies whether this for you means sex or, simply, companionship. Both are equally valid choices and both can boost self esteem. Indeed, as Sam Owen points out, a good part of the confidence increase comes from the fact that finding a partner gives you someone to pal around with: a person to emotionally connect with. She says that finding ”loving companionship also means we are better at forming and sustaining other close relationships, [which are] integral to good health, successful careers, our happiness, and even our longevity as research shows people who are better connected live on average 3.7 years longer.’’ Now there’s a great reason to date!
Mature dating with EliteSingles We understand that deciding to take the plunge with ‘older dating’ can be nerve-wracking. That’s why we offer a safe, supportive dating service for all of our members. Our outstanding customer care team manually checks all profiles and hides inactive members to ensure that the profile suggestions you receive are from genuine prospects who share your feelings about mature dating. What’s more, we make these suggestions with true compatibility in mind. We take your relationship preferences, personality and ideal location in New Zealand into account – meaning that finding companionship is easier with us. If you’re ready to meet other Kiwis interested in mature dating, then join EliteSingles today.
Read also:

  
Dating over 50: three top tips
  
Dating in Tauranga: love in the land of plenty
  
Want to meet Napier singles? Start here!

Sources:
1 Statistics New Zealand: Tatauranga Aotearoa. 2013 Census map: Age group and Sex. 
2 Statistics New Zealand: Tatauranga Aotearoa. How will New Zealand’s ageing population affect the property market? Statistics collected 2010-2012. 
3 Ellen McCarthy, writing for the Washington Post: More Seniors Jumping into the Online Dating Fray. 2009. Found at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071604623.html 
4 Dick Stroud and Kim Walker, Marketing to the Ageing Consumer: the secrets to building an age-friendly business, Palgrave McMillan, 2013, p148. 
5 The New Zealand Herald: How to embrace an ageing love life. November 2013. Found at http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10866349
About the author: Sophie Watson