Meredith Heagney, The Columbus Dispatch
February 26, 2012
Nobody reminds Grandpa to wear a condom, but maybe we should.
Today’s older adults are living longer, healthier lives that often include sex. Doctors say that’s good news, because it means the physical and emotional benefits of sex aren’t restricted to the young.
But sexual freedom in the golden years has a downside, too: Physicians say they’re seeing a growing number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases among older patients.
“Age is not a reason for people to stop having sex,” said Dr. Sharon A. Brangman, chairwoman of the board of directors of the American Geriatrics Society and chief of geriatrics at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, N.Y.
“We need to counter some of the myths we have about aging and sexuality. We need to have educational campaigns so older adults continue to practice safe sex, particularly if they have multiple partners.”
Older people are at risk because many believe they need not worry about safe sex when pregnancy isn’t a possibility, said Dr. Mysheika LeMaile-Williams, medical director at Columbus Public Health.
After a death or divorce, older men and women might be dating for the first time in decades, and they missed many of the messages about protecting against disease, she said.
And with erectile-dysfunction drugs such as Viagra, many older men are back in the mix.
Heinz and Waltraud Putz live in Worthington and have been married since 1959. Mr. Putz, 77, said the couple knows a number of older people who have multiple sex partners.
“If your girlfriend is 70,” STDs are “the last thing you worry about,” he said recently as he watched his wife participate in a line-dancing class at the Griswold Center in Worthington.
“I can’t imagine any of these girls having anything like that.”
But doctors say that’s not the case.
“STDs don’t discriminate by age,” LeMaile-Williams said.
Nationally, there was a slight increase in syphilis rates for people 65 or older from 2000 to 2010 and a decrease in gonorrhea and chlamydia rates, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The rates are still very low; the most common disease of the three, chlamydia, is reported in just 2.4 of every 100,000 adults 65 and older, or 954 cases in 2010. In recent years, people 50 and older have accounted for 11 percent of new HIV infections in the United States.
In Ohio, the rates of adults 65 and older with gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis decreased in 2006-2010, according to Ohio Department of Health figures.
In 2009, there were just eight new reported diagnoses of HIV (with or without AIDS) in adults 65 and older in Ohio, the same number as in 2000. In that time period, the number of people between the ages of 45 and 64 with a new HIV or AIDS diagnosis rose from 170 to 261.
Experts say, however, that these numbers are low because they are likely underreported. While sexually transmitted diseases are reportable, doctors often treat STDs without confirming its presence with a test. No confirmation, no reporting.
Either way, some older men and women are taking precautions.
Elizabeth Collins, 78, said she has dated 41 men since her divorce in the 1980s. She said she hasn’t been intimate with all of them, and when she does have sex, she makes her partners get tested for AIDS.
She “loves sex” but still chooses to take her relationships slowly, said Collins, who lives on the Northwest Side.
“When they start to get frisky, I say to them, ‘As handsome as you are ... people should be friends before they’re lovers.’ ”
Rates of sexually transmitted diseases could increase among older people as baby boomers age, said Dr. Robert Murden, a professor of geriatrics and internal medicine at Ohio State University.
He said those who came of age in the 1960s likely will change the culture of old age.
And as long as they are safe, that’s fine, Murden said.
“Older people need that closeness and intimacy as much as younger people do.”
Original link: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2012/Ohio%20STDs.html
Monday, March 5, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Health Watch: The Aging Love Life
Stephanie Stahl, CBS
February 20, 2012
Forty years of research is turning conventional wisdom on its head when it comes to the issue of women and sex. The experts say it gets better with age.
“Your husband wants it and you kind of go along with it,” said Susan Courtney, who is 56-years-old. Sex was never really at the top of her priority list.
“You’re running around and car pooling,” said Susan. But now that this mom is in her 50’s, her feelings towards sex have drastically changed.
“I look forward to it more,” said Susan. She isn’t the only woman whose sex life is getting better with age, according to a new study from the University of California.
“This is not a part of your life that shuts down,” said Bat Sheva Marcus, a Sexual Dysfunction Specialist.
The study followed 800 women over forty years, and looked at all aspects of their sex lives from desire to frequency. The majority say they had increased sexual satisfaction as they aged – findings that come as no surprise to Marcus.
“What irritates me is we as a society think, ‘Oh, sex only lasts until your 29 and you know after that, it’s just going to be downhill from there,’” said Marcus. She says there are so many stereotypes when it comes to women and sex, like women are rarely ‘in the mood’ especially as they age and have to deal with physical changes, like menopause.
“I think that’s a horrible myth,” said Marcus. She says there are several reasons why mature women have better sex.
“There’s less guilt. There’s less distraction as your kids get older. There’s more emotional stability,” said Marcus.
Ann Karrick, who’s in her forties, says so many aspects of life improve with age, why not sex too?
“If you know yourself better, almost everything I think becomes better,” said Ann.
Ultimately Marcus says most women with more life experience have no problem asking for what they want.
“There’s nothing embarrassing about a 65-year-old woman who wants to have a vibrant sex life,” said Marcus.
Susan says she’s looking forward to being one of them.
“I don’t see myself as getting to be an aged person, who can’t be sexual. I don’t see that,” said Susan.
Some experts say sex lives get better because older women also have more time to feel good about themselves, in a way they didn’t have when they were 30.
Original link: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2012/Aging%20Love%20Life.html
February 20, 2012
Forty years of research is turning conventional wisdom on its head when it comes to the issue of women and sex. The experts say it gets better with age.
“Your husband wants it and you kind of go along with it,” said Susan Courtney, who is 56-years-old. Sex was never really at the top of her priority list.
“You’re running around and car pooling,” said Susan. But now that this mom is in her 50’s, her feelings towards sex have drastically changed.
“I look forward to it more,” said Susan. She isn’t the only woman whose sex life is getting better with age, according to a new study from the University of California.
“This is not a part of your life that shuts down,” said Bat Sheva Marcus, a Sexual Dysfunction Specialist.
The study followed 800 women over forty years, and looked at all aspects of their sex lives from desire to frequency. The majority say they had increased sexual satisfaction as they aged – findings that come as no surprise to Marcus.
“What irritates me is we as a society think, ‘Oh, sex only lasts until your 29 and you know after that, it’s just going to be downhill from there,’” said Marcus. She says there are so many stereotypes when it comes to women and sex, like women are rarely ‘in the mood’ especially as they age and have to deal with physical changes, like menopause.
“I think that’s a horrible myth,” said Marcus. She says there are several reasons why mature women have better sex.
“There’s less guilt. There’s less distraction as your kids get older. There’s more emotional stability,” said Marcus.
Ann Karrick, who’s in her forties, says so many aspects of life improve with age, why not sex too?
“If you know yourself better, almost everything I think becomes better,” said Ann.
Ultimately Marcus says most women with more life experience have no problem asking for what they want.
“There’s nothing embarrassing about a 65-year-old woman who wants to have a vibrant sex life,” said Marcus.
Susan says she’s looking forward to being one of them.
“I don’t see myself as getting to be an aged person, who can’t be sexual. I don’t see that,” said Susan.
Some experts say sex lives get better because older women also have more time to feel good about themselves, in a way they didn’t have when they were 30.
Original link: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2012/Aging%20Love%20Life.html
Saturday, February 11, 2012
AGE WELL: Time to start the positive aging movement
Michele Cauch
Why are we so afraid of aging? It fills us with dread and anxiety.
Why are we afraid of getting older and meeting the challenges and changes aging brings? We have been led to believe that youth is beautiful, desirable and should be the standard by which to compare everything.
Air-brushed models sell us lotions, creams and potions. Fight the wrinkles, dye the hair, stop the clock - our attitudes toward aging have been negative, unnatural and narrow-minded for such a long time.
By contrast, it's amazing to see all the new research in the field of aging.
Innovative research, scientific breakthroughs and discoveries that contribute to healthy aging and independent lifestyles are making news headlines more often. New information has shed light on old ideas and corrected many outdated stereotypes with respect to aging such as sexuality, social and emotional well-being, and physical and cognitive health.
The Positive Aging Movement
We've arrived at a rather interesting point in human existence. Never before in history has the global population been turned upside down. But the fact is the 65+ demographic will soon become 15 per cent of the world population. And faced with these social statistics, much will change in the immediate future.
Now's the time to jump on the bandwagon. We've lived through many social movements in history. We've witnessed the civil rights movement, women's movement, students' movement and the separatist movement. It's time to start a new movement - the positive aging movement. It's time to shift our way of thinking and bring greater awareness and acceptance of aging.
This positive aging trend will develop on its own anyway, but we can help spur it on.
For it to really take effect and root itself in our collective subconscious, we need to start with ourselves first and ground our personal beliefs.
What does positive aging mean to you? How can you help others change their attitudes toward aging? What is the change you want to see in the world and what is the change you want to make in your own life?
Visit next month to learn more.
Originally published on Inside Toronto
http://www.insidetoronto.com/community/life/article/1294828--age-well-time-to-start-the-positive-aging-movement
Why are we so afraid of aging? It fills us with dread and anxiety.
Why are we afraid of getting older and meeting the challenges and changes aging brings? We have been led to believe that youth is beautiful, desirable and should be the standard by which to compare everything.
Air-brushed models sell us lotions, creams and potions. Fight the wrinkles, dye the hair, stop the clock - our attitudes toward aging have been negative, unnatural and narrow-minded for such a long time.
By contrast, it's amazing to see all the new research in the field of aging.
Innovative research, scientific breakthroughs and discoveries that contribute to healthy aging and independent lifestyles are making news headlines more often. New information has shed light on old ideas and corrected many outdated stereotypes with respect to aging such as sexuality, social and emotional well-being, and physical and cognitive health.
The Positive Aging Movement
We've arrived at a rather interesting point in human existence. Never before in history has the global population been turned upside down. But the fact is the 65+ demographic will soon become 15 per cent of the world population. And faced with these social statistics, much will change in the immediate future.
Now's the time to jump on the bandwagon. We've lived through many social movements in history. We've witnessed the civil rights movement, women's movement, students' movement and the separatist movement. It's time to start a new movement - the positive aging movement. It's time to shift our way of thinking and bring greater awareness and acceptance of aging.
This positive aging trend will develop on its own anyway, but we can help spur it on.
For it to really take effect and root itself in our collective subconscious, we need to start with ourselves first and ground our personal beliefs.
What does positive aging mean to you? How can you help others change their attitudes toward aging? What is the change you want to see in the world and what is the change you want to make in your own life?
Visit next month to learn more.
Originally published on Inside Toronto
http://www.insidetoronto.com/community/life/article/1294828--age-well-time-to-start-the-positive-aging-movement
Friday, February 10, 2012
Sex good for pensioners
January 12, 2012
Do not be afraid of old age. After retirement, many people feel happier than when they were 35-40 years. And the sex life is much more harmonious, judging by the results of the study of American specialists, writes Kleo.ru.
For people aged over 60, having sex is a great way to increase muscle tone and improve communication. As researchers have found at the University of Florida agriculture and mechanization, the relationship of older spouses who regularly engaged in love, is stronger and more harmonious than their peers who refused carnal pleasures.
The study, whose results were presented at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, was based on social survey data in 2004, during which they interviewed 283 married couples aged 65 and older. After processing the responses, the researchers found some correlation between happiness and sex of each couple. Among those who have not made love in the past 12 months, happiness was rated at 40%, and among those who indulged in carnal pleasures every month, happiness was rated at 60%. 59% of spouse respondents were satisfied in the first group, and 80% in the second.
Experts clarified that the definition of marital sex included not only vaginal, but also oral and anal, writes Newsru.co.il. Although scientists recognize this trend: it is not clear what makes a couple happy, sex, or the opposite, relationship - people who love each other, often spend their time in bed.
Original link: http://www.globalaging.org/health/world/2012/sex%20helps.html
Senior-help.ru
Do not be afraid of old age. After retirement, many people feel happier than when they were 35-40 years. And the sex life is much more harmonious, judging by the results of the study of American specialists, writes Kleo.ru.
For people aged over 60, having sex is a great way to increase muscle tone and improve communication. As researchers have found at the University of Florida agriculture and mechanization, the relationship of older spouses who regularly engaged in love, is stronger and more harmonious than their peers who refused carnal pleasures.
The study, whose results were presented at the annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, was based on social survey data in 2004, during which they interviewed 283 married couples aged 65 and older. After processing the responses, the researchers found some correlation between happiness and sex of each couple. Among those who have not made love in the past 12 months, happiness was rated at 40%, and among those who indulged in carnal pleasures every month, happiness was rated at 60%. 59% of spouse respondents were satisfied in the first group, and 80% in the second.
Experts clarified that the definition of marital sex included not only vaginal, but also oral and anal, writes Newsru.co.il. Although scientists recognize this trend: it is not clear what makes a couple happy, sex, or the opposite, relationship - people who love each other, often spend their time in bed.
Original link: http://www.globalaging.org/health/world/2012/sex%20helps.html
Senior-help.ru
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Never Too Old For Love: Revera Report on Romance Sets the Record Straight About Love As You Age
Kudos to Revera for undertaking a research study on seniors' love and romance. the study conducted by Leger is helping to spur on the shift in mentality to acknowledge that you are never to old for love. The report sheds light on seniors' need and desire for love, intimacy and romance for healthy physical and emotional well being.
MCauch
----------------
TORONTO, Canada, February 7, 2012 – Seniors are setting the record straight - love and romance aren’t just for the young, according to the Revera Report on Romance, a new survey by Revera Inc., Canada’s leading provider of seniors care and services. Seven-in-ten seniors over age 75 say you are never too old for love and the same amount agree love and romance remains an important aspect of their lives. What’s more, senior men are even more in love with love than women, with 83 per cent saying it’s important versus 56 per cent of women.
“Seniors’ positive outlook on love and romance is encouraging to see because they are both important aspects of social interaction,” says Dr. Amy D’Aprix, gerontologist and expert on aging. “What many people don’t know, is remaining socially active can have a significant impact on your physical health, and may even help to reduce your risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also been shown to have a comparable impact on mortality as smoking and alcohol.” She continued, “And of course, there’s no question that it also contributes to happiness and emotional health.”
It’s not just the experts who recognize the importance of socializing as we age — seniors themselves overwhelmingly support the concept. When surveyed, 88 per cent of seniors agree that companionship is something they couldn’t do without, and 98 per cent said they thought keeping socially active was as important to successfully aging as good physical health.
Challenging myths
There’s a common myth that love, romance and the need for companionship fades as we grow older and this is being perpetuated by the younger generations. In fact, fewer than half (only 38 per cent) of Generation Y and Boomers in the survey predict love and romance will be “very important” when they’re over 75, and even fewer think they’ll be “very interested” in dating at that age if they didn’t already have a partner (8 per cent of Generation Y and 13 per cent of Boomers). In fact, the Revera Report revealed not only that love and romance do remain important for those 75-plus, it also showed just as many seniors have romantic partners as 18 to 30 year olds (approximately half for each group).
Love and romance are also often perceived as more important to women than men. The Revera Report challenges this assumption, with senior men revealing they are even more in love (83 per cent) with love than women (56 per cent). In fact, senior men are nearly twice as likely as women of the same age to say they seek ways to spice up their love lives (56 per cent vs. 29 per cent).
Love at any age
Love and romance are as important today as the day he and his wife Valerie met, according to Mendel, aged 86. Mendel and Valerie met at a dance for new Canadians in Ottawa shortly after the war. After 60 years of marriage, three children and eight grandchildren, Mendel still counts his blessings and believes he’s the “luckiest man in the world” because he has “Valerie’s love and compassion.” The couple lives at Revera’s Pine Villa Retirement Residence in Toronto and their romance is still strong. Mendel happily offers that to him, Valerie, aged 82, looks 30 years younger.
“We see every day in our residences the power of positive social interaction, which is an essential part of seniors’ health and wellness,” said Jeff Lozon, President and CEO, Revera. “Revera is committed to understanding these issues, and to contributing to the dialogue about re-imagining the aging experience for Canadian seniors.”
About the Revera Report on Romance
Revera, in partnership with Leger Marketing, surveyed older adults aged 75+, Boomers and Gen Yers, to find out about their expectations and experiences with social interaction as they age, including: love, romance, dating, and companionship. The survey was completed online from September 21, 2011 to October 2, 2011 using Leger Marketing’s online panel, LegerWeb, with a sample of 1563 Canadians in the following age groups: 511 Canadians age 18 to 30, 537 Canadians ages 45 to 64; and 515 Canadians age 75+. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of ±2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20. The Revera Report on Romance is one in a series of reports that will be issued by Revera exploring different topics relevant to the aging experience of Canadian seniors.
MCauch
----------------
TORONTO, Canada, February 7, 2012 – Seniors are setting the record straight - love and romance aren’t just for the young, according to the Revera Report on Romance, a new survey by Revera Inc., Canada’s leading provider of seniors care and services. Seven-in-ten seniors over age 75 say you are never too old for love and the same amount agree love and romance remains an important aspect of their lives. What’s more, senior men are even more in love with love than women, with 83 per cent saying it’s important versus 56 per cent of women.
“Seniors’ positive outlook on love and romance is encouraging to see because they are both important aspects of social interaction,” says Dr. Amy D’Aprix, gerontologist and expert on aging. “What many people don’t know, is remaining socially active can have a significant impact on your physical health, and may even help to reduce your risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It’s also been shown to have a comparable impact on mortality as smoking and alcohol.” She continued, “And of course, there’s no question that it also contributes to happiness and emotional health.”
It’s not just the experts who recognize the importance of socializing as we age — seniors themselves overwhelmingly support the concept. When surveyed, 88 per cent of seniors agree that companionship is something they couldn’t do without, and 98 per cent said they thought keeping socially active was as important to successfully aging as good physical health.
Challenging myths
There’s a common myth that love, romance and the need for companionship fades as we grow older and this is being perpetuated by the younger generations. In fact, fewer than half (only 38 per cent) of Generation Y and Boomers in the survey predict love and romance will be “very important” when they’re over 75, and even fewer think they’ll be “very interested” in dating at that age if they didn’t already have a partner (8 per cent of Generation Y and 13 per cent of Boomers). In fact, the Revera Report revealed not only that love and romance do remain important for those 75-plus, it also showed just as many seniors have romantic partners as 18 to 30 year olds (approximately half for each group).
Love and romance are also often perceived as more important to women than men. The Revera Report challenges this assumption, with senior men revealing they are even more in love (83 per cent) with love than women (56 per cent). In fact, senior men are nearly twice as likely as women of the same age to say they seek ways to spice up their love lives (56 per cent vs. 29 per cent).
Love at any age
Love and romance are as important today as the day he and his wife Valerie met, according to Mendel, aged 86. Mendel and Valerie met at a dance for new Canadians in Ottawa shortly after the war. After 60 years of marriage, three children and eight grandchildren, Mendel still counts his blessings and believes he’s the “luckiest man in the world” because he has “Valerie’s love and compassion.” The couple lives at Revera’s Pine Villa Retirement Residence in Toronto and their romance is still strong. Mendel happily offers that to him, Valerie, aged 82, looks 30 years younger.
“We see every day in our residences the power of positive social interaction, which is an essential part of seniors’ health and wellness,” said Jeff Lozon, President and CEO, Revera. “Revera is committed to understanding these issues, and to contributing to the dialogue about re-imagining the aging experience for Canadian seniors.”
About the Revera Report on Romance
Revera, in partnership with Leger Marketing, surveyed older adults aged 75+, Boomers and Gen Yers, to find out about their expectations and experiences with social interaction as they age, including: love, romance, dating, and companionship. The survey was completed online from September 21, 2011 to October 2, 2011 using Leger Marketing’s online panel, LegerWeb, with a sample of 1563 Canadians in the following age groups: 511 Canadians age 18 to 30, 537 Canadians ages 45 to 64; and 515 Canadians age 75+. A probability sample of the same size would yield a margin of error of ±2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20. The Revera Report on Romance is one in a series of reports that will be issued by Revera exploring different topics relevant to the aging experience of Canadian seniors.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Finding an Ageless Kind of Love
This program features, Sharon and Gordon,a couple that met at Companion Connections, the first senior speed dating event of its kind that I organized at St. Paul's L'Amoreaux Centre in April 2009. Companion Connections was the forerunner of SilverSparks Speed Dating
MCauch
-----------------------------------------
On Valentine’s Day 2012, sparks will fly on The Brand New ONE with the world premiere broadcast of Love, Later in Life, an original 30-minute documentary hosted by veteran television journalist Jojo Chintoh.
Love, Later in Life explores the courtship and present life of four sets of couples who unexpectedly fell in love after 45. Lynn and Clarence (48 & 69) met on the golf course; Gordon & Sharon (65 & 70) connected at a seniors’ speed dating event; Hugh and Ethel (93 & 82) met at their retirement residence; and high school sweethearts Ray and Linda (63 & 62) re-kindled their romance over 40 years later.
Widowed or divorced thrice over, most thought it would be nice to find an occasional dinner mate or travel partner, but had closed the book on giving love another shot. Instead, they found much more than they were looking for.
Through intimate interviews, Jojo Chintoh brings viewers their fresh perspectives on passion, relationships, and the meaning of life. Time’s ravaging hands don’t seem to matter anymore. That wrinkle on your face now adds “character”. Those extra pounds really are “love handles”. She wants it platonic, he wants sex, but he’ll abstain for the sake of companionship.
Studies show that sexual and emotional satisfaction actually increases with age, and as our couples unanimously reveal, the secret to a long life is having someone to love. “I can’t believe it. I feel like a kid again. This is silly,” they say.
Age is just a number when it comes to Dating, Mating and Relating.
Love, Later in Life
The Brand New ONE: February 14 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT
MCauch
-----------------------------------------
On Valentine’s Day 2012, sparks will fly on The Brand New ONE with the world premiere broadcast of Love, Later in Life, an original 30-minute documentary hosted by veteran television journalist Jojo Chintoh.
Love, Later in Life explores the courtship and present life of four sets of couples who unexpectedly fell in love after 45. Lynn and Clarence (48 & 69) met on the golf course; Gordon & Sharon (65 & 70) connected at a seniors’ speed dating event; Hugh and Ethel (93 & 82) met at their retirement residence; and high school sweethearts Ray and Linda (63 & 62) re-kindled their romance over 40 years later.
Widowed or divorced thrice over, most thought it would be nice to find an occasional dinner mate or travel partner, but had closed the book on giving love another shot. Instead, they found much more than they were looking for.
Through intimate interviews, Jojo Chintoh brings viewers their fresh perspectives on passion, relationships, and the meaning of life. Time’s ravaging hands don’t seem to matter anymore. That wrinkle on your face now adds “character”. Those extra pounds really are “love handles”. She wants it platonic, he wants sex, but he’ll abstain for the sake of companionship.
Studies show that sexual and emotional satisfaction actually increases with age, and as our couples unanimously reveal, the secret to a long life is having someone to love. “I can’t believe it. I feel like a kid again. This is silly,” they say.
Age is just a number when it comes to Dating, Mating and Relating.
Love, Later in Life
The Brand New ONE: February 14 at 8pm ET / 5pm PT
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Looking for Love on Valentine’s Day
February 3, 2012
By Michele Cauch
It is both banned and celebrated across the globe. Different cultures have various names for it, such as: Affection Day, Friend’s Day, All Hearts’ Day, and White Day. But we know this annual observance as Valentine’s Day. That one day of the year that can either fill you with you bliss or bitterness.
For children, it all seems so innocent. Giving paper cut-outs to friends and gobbling up cinnamon heart candies. A flower from a secret admirer in high school that made single friends envious. Valentine’s Day may be seen as commercialized frivolity as we witness couples exchange gifts of chocolate, teddy bears and greeting cards with hearts and flowers. However, it is also a reminder that people of all ages continue to seek out that greatest emotion known to man–—love.
Canada Love Stats
Finding love at any age can be elusive and deceptive. According to Statistics Canada, more than half the population of Canada is single at 52%. This includes never-married, widowed or divorced. While the proportion of the population of Canada that is married (including legally married, legally married and separated, and common-law unions) is only 48%. In real numbers, this translates into 17,059,166 single men and women of all ages in Canada in 2007. A rather large pool in which to hunt for a mate.
And this pool is getting disproportionately larger. The 65+ demographic is expected to reach nearly 15 per cent of the global population by 2040. With longer life expectancy and an increase in divorce accompanied by a rise in senior online dating sites, more older adults are single and looking for love. Human instinct will lead people to seek out love, romance and companionship in their later years as a basic need.
To Love and Be Loved
Yet we remain hopeful and optimistic. For as writer George Sand stated over a century ago, “There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.” We never really give up the search for love throughout our lives. We hold out for it, sometimes longer that we should, and regret missed opportunities of what could have been. We question what the real essence is. Is it real? Will it last? Is this what it should feel like? Those who have love, revel in it. Those who don’t, yearn for it. It is the stuff of poems, fairytales, and melancholy melodies.
For those in a relationship, Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate the love you have. With all its passion, comforts, frailties and foibles. If you’re single, it can be a time to remember loves past and remember the feeling of being in love. It’s still out there. Keep an open mind and never stop looking for it. It could be right around the corner.
Published by Comfort Life Magazine
http://www.comfortlife.ca/blog/looking-for-love-on-valentine%E2%80%99s-day-5214/
By Michele Cauch
It is both banned and celebrated across the globe. Different cultures have various names for it, such as: Affection Day, Friend’s Day, All Hearts’ Day, and White Day. But we know this annual observance as Valentine’s Day. That one day of the year that can either fill you with you bliss or bitterness.
For children, it all seems so innocent. Giving paper cut-outs to friends and gobbling up cinnamon heart candies. A flower from a secret admirer in high school that made single friends envious. Valentine’s Day may be seen as commercialized frivolity as we witness couples exchange gifts of chocolate, teddy bears and greeting cards with hearts and flowers. However, it is also a reminder that people of all ages continue to seek out that greatest emotion known to man–—love.
Canada Love Stats
Finding love at any age can be elusive and deceptive. According to Statistics Canada, more than half the population of Canada is single at 52%. This includes never-married, widowed or divorced. While the proportion of the population of Canada that is married (including legally married, legally married and separated, and common-law unions) is only 48%. In real numbers, this translates into 17,059,166 single men and women of all ages in Canada in 2007. A rather large pool in which to hunt for a mate.
And this pool is getting disproportionately larger. The 65+ demographic is expected to reach nearly 15 per cent of the global population by 2040. With longer life expectancy and an increase in divorce accompanied by a rise in senior online dating sites, more older adults are single and looking for love. Human instinct will lead people to seek out love, romance and companionship in their later years as a basic need.
To Love and Be Loved
Yet we remain hopeful and optimistic. For as writer George Sand stated over a century ago, “There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.” We never really give up the search for love throughout our lives. We hold out for it, sometimes longer that we should, and regret missed opportunities of what could have been. We question what the real essence is. Is it real? Will it last? Is this what it should feel like? Those who have love, revel in it. Those who don’t, yearn for it. It is the stuff of poems, fairytales, and melancholy melodies.
For those in a relationship, Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate the love you have. With all its passion, comforts, frailties and foibles. If you’re single, it can be a time to remember loves past and remember the feeling of being in love. It’s still out there. Keep an open mind and never stop looking for it. It could be right around the corner.
Published by Comfort Life Magazine
http://www.comfortlife.ca/blog/looking-for-love-on-valentine%E2%80%99s-day-5214/
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