Over 50s win the dating game
| Published: 13th January 2008 10:30 |
Flirty over fifties are living life to the full.
When Cupid draws back his bow he doesn't just aim for the 18-30s. In fact if you want to know which age group has great success in love look a little further up the scale.
Being over 50 used to mean being over the hill, but these days the baby boom generation are teaching their offspring a thing or two about romance.
Fittingly, the generation that brought us the first summer of love in the 60s are now showing the younger generation how to find romance according to a report by Facts International on behalf of dating service Parship.co.uk. It revealed that 73 per cent of over-50 singles fully intend to find a fulfilling sexual relationship in the next 12 months, while 84 per cent want a full sexual relationship with the next person they meet. Generally four out of 10 of over 50s are looking for commitment, but one in five only wants casual fun and 19 per cent are game for anything.
What's more, over half of the over-50s singles don't look to their family for approval, with 60 per cent saying they don't care what their children think of their dates. There could be a few raised eyebrows from the younger generations of the family as 18 per cent of the senior group said they would happily date someone at least 10 years younger, while they are three times more likely than 20-somethings to flirt with complete strangers.
Carol Dix, author of the Ultimate Guide to 21st Century Dating, is in the 50+ generation and recently met a younger man when on holiday after flirting with him in a bar. She is happy to report that their relationship is still going strong. "Many of the 50+ generation believe strongly in finding sexual passion and romance, rather than just looking for a stable (possibly rather dull) relationship," she says. "We've had marriages, raised our children and know what's important to look for in the opposite sex. There's not much point in us settling for companionship when we could be finding great sex, fun, love and laughter out there."
Not only are the older generations better at dating than their younger counterparts but they are also keeping up with the times by dating online. To fulfil their lust for life, over-50 singles are turning to the internet in increasing numbers. Of those surveyed, 43 per cent are logging on to find dates compared with just 26 per cent six months ago. Yet traditional standards still prevail. While the majority (76 per cent) of single people over 50 don't believe in one partner for life, and 68 per cent regret not having had sex with a person from their past, the majority, 77 per cent still believe it is better to be sexually faithful to one partner.
Dr Victoria Lukats points out that an increasing number of people in their 50s and 60s are finding themselves single, often for the first time in decades. "The idea that this age group is no longer interested in a sexual relationship is simply a misconception. These figures show that experience probably counts for a lot when it comes to approaching a potential love interest. If you've made mistakes or had regrets in life then you're not going to lose any more time on missed opportunities but maybe try and live life to the full and be more proactive in looking for love."
