For many of you, the idea of trying to find other singles when you’re in your later years in life may sound hard—or downright impossible. If you’re just coming out of another relationship or your special someone has passed, it’s probably been a long while since you’ve been on the dating scene.
And even if you have been single for a while, you may be wondering how things change as you start to reach out to meet more mature singles.
All of these are great questions to be asking that we plan on answering today. Dating in your 50s, 60s, 70s, and beyond doesn’t have to feel like a chore—it can be a lot of fun! But in order to experience that excitement and fun, you need to know the best ways to meet other singles in your age bracket.
In this article, we’ll start by looking at the different places to meet singles over 50 years old, and then we’ll share some tips, dos and don’ts, and resources to help assist you on your journey.
5 Places to Look For Singles Over 50
Sometimes the most challenging part of getting back on the dating scene (at any age) is knowing where to look. You may be wondering if the same places you used to look for singles still work, or if there are hidden communities out there of seasoned singles looking for dating or love.
To answer that question, here are some of the best places you can use to look for singles in your age bracket.
1. Senior Dating Sites
One of the most convenient and effective ways of meeting senior singles is through senior dating sites. What is great is that even if you’re not the best with technology, these sites and apps can help you meet someone special without ever having to leave your home. If you haven’t been dating in years or decades, this may be completely new to you. But don’t be discouraged because it’s new; it can be an incredibly fun and effective way to meet mature matches.
2. Traditional Dating Sites
While we’re big advocates for using senior-only dating sites, that doesn’t mean you can’t find people in your age bracket through traditional dating sites. While there will be people on these from all age brackets, you can use simple search and filter options to only see singles from the age range you’re interested in. This is especially good if you’re in your early 50s and are still interested in dating people in their mid to late 40s as well as your 50s or 60s.
3. Meetup Groups
There are tons of meetup-style groups out there for singles who are looking to get out and experience life. While many of these aren’t intentionally designed to help you spark up a love connection, it doesn’t mean they couldn’t do just that! Approach the groups with the idea of having fun and enjoying the purpose of the group, and let the love connections come naturally. The worst outcome is that you get to have some fun and make some new friends, and the best outcome is you get all that AND you get to meet someone special.
Some of the best places to look for these events include:
- The community you live in (especially if you live in a 55+ community)
- Local community groups (like churches, the YMCA, Chamber of Commerce, etc.)
- Event listings (consider checking websites like Eventbrite or Google Events)
4. Through Friends and Family
Everyone is always hot to trot to try and hook up their younger friends and family members. However, the older you get, the less proactive these people are about things. Does that mean they don’t want to help? Absolutely not! They probably just want to avoid stepping on your toes or making you feel awkward if you’re not interested.
If you’re ready to start dating or meeting people again, let your family and friends know! You never know who might know someone who could be the perfect match for you.
5. Out and About
Just because you’re over the age of 50 doesn’t mean that you can’t meet singles out and about like everyone in every other age bracket. Keep your eyes peeled at places like the grocery store, the library, the gym, restaurants, bars,
Tips for Meeting Other Senior Singles
Here are some of our favorite tips to help you get the most out of your search for someone special. Remember, the entire goal is to have fun and meet someone you can spend some of your best years with.
Be Okay Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone
This tip is especially true if it’s been a while since you’ve been on the singles scene. Finding results may require you to go a little outside your comfort zone—and that’s okay. For example, if you’re someone who likes to stay home a lot, you may have to get comfortable with going out a little bit more. If you’re someone who doesn’t like technology, you may have to be okay with trying out something new.
But Not at the Expense of Safety
The caveat to the above tip for senior dating is that you should never sacrifice your safety to try and get results. If you don’t think it’s a good idea for you to do certain things because it puts you at risk of anything, then don’t do it. Be careful not to use this as an excuse for something you’re just not comfortable with, but also be honest about your safety, because it is priority number one.
Have Patience in the Process
Dating and meeting someone special can take time. Even if you feel the pressure because you’re in your later years of life, take your time. This is why enjoying the process of searching for someone new is so important. If you can do that, you won’t feel as pressured to see results from day one.
Be Open About Your Intentions
Many seniors in their 50s, 60s, and 70s are looking for wildly different things. Maybe you’re just looking for someone to start with as friends? Maybe you’re looking for your soul mate later in life? Or maybe you’re looking for something in between? All of these are great goals for dating, but they’re important to share bluntly with the people you meet.
Don’t hide what you’re really looking for or pretend you’re looking for something else. The more open you can be about things, the better your overall results are going to be.
A Parting Word of Encouragement
Meeting singles when you’re over 50 can be exciting! There’s just something invigorating about meeting new people, especially when they might become a romantic interest in your best years.
Here’s our word of encouragement. Remember to have fun with the process. Remember that you are special. Even if it doesn’t work out with people, that’s okay. It doesn’t mean you are any less special just because you’re not the right fit right now for them. Don’t ever draw your happiness or self-worth from the results of the process.
If you can keep this in mind and utilize some of the tips and resources we shared, we think you’ll have a great time out there!
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