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Relationship goals of middle-aged, young-old, and old-old Internet daters: an analysis of online personal ads
Sheyna S R Alterovitz1, Gerald A Mendelsohn
1University of California-Berkeley, 630 Bayberry Drive, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, United States. sheyna.alterovitz@gmail.com
Purpose Of The Study:
Research on courtship patterns and romantic relationship in later life has not kept pace with the burgeoning number of older adults interested in dating.
Design And Methods:
We conducted content analyses of themes arising from 450 personal ads written by middle-aged (40-54), young-old (60-74), and old-old (75+) participants.
Results:
Significant differences between the young-old and the middle-aged were few; those between the young-old and old-old were numerous. Compared to the old-old, the young-old and middle-aged were more likely to mention adventure, romance, sexual interests, and seeking a soul mate and less likely to mention health.
Implications:
This study increases our understanding of relationship goals in later life and highlights the error of treating all older adults as a homogeneous group. Practice and policy can benefit from more nuanced distinctions between age groups and an enhanced recognition of the vibrant emotional, romantic, and sexual lives of older adults.
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