Social media represents one of the strongest connective technologies on the planet today. People of all ages are constantly looking to meet new people and reconnect with old ones. Although we tend to think of the younger crowd as being the primary users of social media, the truth is that seniors are just as likely to engage in the use of social technologies, including online dating services. The impact of social media on seniors, then, is larger than most people believe.
Using Social Media Helps Senior People to Cope with Loneliness
In the traditional and extended sense of the term, social media can help connect adult people with others, alleviating loneliness and the complications from the despair it inspires. The ability to reach out into their community is very important as individual ages because seniors have fewer reasons to pursue interactions with others as they age. The extended conceptualization of social media, including dating services, also helps older people with a more personal form of loneliness. As adults are more likely than other groups to lose their significant others, they need a method to find new partners to keep them company in the latter part of their lives. Mature dating sites created for older users help them meet senior people in a safe, controlled environment. Such dating services are useful because they can connect people they knew in the past, help them move on from tragedies, and allow them to be very picky with their choices. Furthermore, mature dating sites provide specific tools that give seniors a better chance at meeting someone special in a mature chat with its increased security and an interface that is simple to use compared to more complex modern sites. All in all, social media, in the broadest terms, including dating services, is a great way to help seniors with loneliness caused by a slowed social life or a need for romance.
Social Media Optimize the Interface for Older People
Social media sites and most other technologies are not often designed with older people in mind. However, once websites and apps are established, the services immediately start to develop in such a way as to optimize the interface for older people and those with accessibility problems. Modern sites help older people by giving them better fonts for reading, more direct instructions, and abundant help. The future of interface development is very focused on helping people with all sorts of abilities use social media and other websites in a way that suits them. From hands-free access to better voice commands and even brain-computer interfaces, social media sites are constantly working to improve the outcomes for older people.
How Often Seniors Use Social Media
We want to believe that only younger people are spending time on social media websites, but the truth is that older people are finding this pastime more pleasurable and useful than ever before. According to recent research into the topic, half of all individuals over the age of 64 use some kind of social media, and they spend significant amounts of time on social media throughout the day, upwards of an hour or more. Of course, that study only looked at the most popular social media sites, so the actual amount of time spent on social media each day could actually be higher. The truth is that seniors are using social media more often than ever before, and they are using smartphones as their method of access. Not only are they ready and willing to meet new people, but they are also surprisingly adept.
Do Old People Use Social Media for Online Dating?
While we had previously conflated social media and online dating into one larger concept, the truth is that most social media is distinct from dating sites, at least in the minds of seniors. Younger people are far more likely to use social media sites to meet and find romantic partners. Social media, in this particular case, would be akin to Instagram or Reddit. In the case of seniors, they are not as likely to use social media for dating; they will use online dating services for that purpose because they view social media as a place for friends. Dating services for seniors are a more popular area for them to seek romance because that is its purpose. Older people believe in separating the two aspects of their social lives.
Finding a romantic partner is easier than ever for seniors these days as long as they are willing to use the tools available to them. By most accounts, it seems as though they are very willing to use social media tools to meet people, but they tend to stick to dating sites when they are trying to meet romantic partners. With better-developed interfaces available for both social media and dating sites, it’s no small wonder that both are continuing to capture the views of older people.