Why More Black Seniors Date Online?


More and more older over 55-year old adults find themselves single and searching, either due to divorce, or the tragic loss of their partner. Thus, more than ever before, more seniors and baby boomers are looking for some companionship to fill the void left by their previous partner. After all, everyone wants to love and be loved, no matter their age. However, one fact stands- the way older adults seek for companionship kind of differ in a way to how the younger folks look for it. Once you are advancing in age and into your wisdom years, your desires, wants, need and even expectations are quite different from what they were when you were in your young years.

Finding someone to date and be happy with can be pretty tasking for anyone, and for seniors, it’s a lot more work. You want to be sure the person is the right one, and that your needs and desires would be met. Trust is important for everyone, regardless of their age. But of course, trust would take on a unique significance for a retiree whose pension is his/her only source of (fixed) income, and has heard of numerous stories of people in his/her class being taken advantage of both online, and even in the physical world. You want to be sure if this person is truly who they say they are, and if they are authentically interested in you, or they are after something more.

Thankfully, online dating gives you the opportunity to maintain a low-key personality and so on, so you can get to know if your potential date is really sincerely interested in you, or is out for something more. Unlike physical dating where the person gets to know where you live, or can weigh your standard of living by what you wear, the car you drive, etc. This to an extent, helps you to establish trust to a reasonable level, and can then decide if you want to take things further.

Today, more and more black seniors are going onto dating sites every day. Some date online in search of a partner, some because of gender equality, or to avoid the responsibility that physical dating requires, some date for just fun, and so on. Thankfully, unlike in the past that online dating apps and sites used to built around the needs of the younger generation, there are now online apps and sites that now pay more attention to seniors- their needs, desires, and peculiarities, recognizing that there are essential differences in the things that matter to the older generation, and are focused on meeting those needs.

Statistics have shown that 50% of marriages in the United States end in divorce, and black women are less likely to venture into another marriage. Thus, 7 in 10 black women are unmarried, while 3 out of 10 may never marry. Scholars have identified impediment like lack of trust, pains and heartbreaks from previous relationships, fear of divorce, and so on. Such people venture into online dating for the fun of it, some do so to avoid deep commitment, with the belief that they can’t exactly trust someone again for a serious relationship, while for some, it’s because of the fear of being stuck in a marriage, and so on.

Most seniors, including the blacks, are more particular about companionship, and nothing more. And what’s more- many older adults actually have multiple needs for companionship. Truly, some might be focused on just finding that single life partner with whom they can share their older years, loving and being loved back. However, a good number of adults are actually seeking multiple companions who can fit into their varied needs. The fact that online dating gives you well varied options to pick from is why most black seniors go on dating sites, where they can meet various people and have diverse options. Of course, most online dating sites today are designed in a way that you can get to chat with potential matches online before things get serious, so you are able to decide if it’s someone worth going further with.


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