Regardless of what some may think, life does not end at the age of 50 and romance is not reserved only for the young. Don’t buy into such misconceptions! It is never too late for you to find love. Given contemporary society’s higher divorce rate and longer life expectancies, mature online dating is an increasingly popular phenomenon. If you are in the position of resuming dating after a long time, whether you’re widowed, divorced, or simply never found the right person, we’ve got some tips for you about the best dating sites for seniors.

Unlike when you were younger, meeting someone in person is no longer the only option available to you. Instead of asking to be set up through friends or meeting someone at a party or event, online dating has become very common. In fact, one in five relationships and one in three marriages now start online. Those are some pretty good statistics! There are online dating sites that are specifically dedicated to the senior crowd as well as dating websites that attract people of all ages.  Sometimes, by sheer virtue of their size and reputation, websites that do not discriminate by age will have even more users in your age range than smaller niche websites. We took it upon ourselves to review dating websites that would appeal to those of a mature age and recommend the top options out there. So, you can enter the online dating world knowing that you’re in safe hands.

Recommended Dating Sites for Seniors

These are some of the most recommended dating websites for seniors:

• Elite Singles
• Silver Singles
• Zoosk
• OurTime
• Match

Online Dating Tips for Seniors:

Don’t lie about your age

True, you feel young at heart, but that doesn’t mean you should lie about your age when creating your online dating profile. Be honest and proud of how far you’ve come in life! Likewise, use photos that show who you are now, not at age 20. Include at least one picture of only you. If it’s a group photo, those who are looking at your profile might not be able to tell which person is you in the photo! Generally, it’s a good idea to provide more than one photo so that people can get more of an idea of who you are. As long as you have one clear photo of your face, your other choices can be more relaxed and help show off some of your personality.

Don’t skimp on your profile

Sure, it seems like a lot of questions now, but these questions can help ensure that you receive more appropriate matches further down the line. Take the time to answer them fully and truthfully. In sections where you can write about yourself, there’s no need to include your entire life story. Instead, write a brief paragraph explaining who you are and what you’re looking for in a relationship in your golden years. Try to stay positive — instead of writing, “I can’t stand lazy people,” write that you’d love to meet someone who would go to activities and events with you. Be sure to let your personality shine through here, so people can begin to see how great a person you are.

Write a great first message

When you’re ready to send a message to someone whose profile has caught your eye, keep it short and sweet — three to five sentences is usually enough for the first message. Try asking a question or commenting about something specific they mentioned in their profile. You can send longer messages later on as you get to know each other. This is your first chance to make a good impression – so don’t let it fall flat.

Check for messages regularly

You should either set up your dating website notifications to send you an email every time you get a message or you should try to log on and check for new messages once every day or so. You don’t want someone to think you’re not interested when in reality you just didn’t see their message to you!

Plan a first date

After sending messages through the website and eventually exchanging phone numbers to talk on the phone, if you feel like you’re a good match, it’s time to plan your first date! It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. Plan to meet at a coffee shop or somewhere else in public where it’s quiet enough for you to talk and get to know each other more. You should each take your own transportation there instead of having one person pick up the other. You may both feel a little nervous at first if this is your first time dating in a while, but take a deep breath and relax. Try not to feel like this one date is the be-all and end-all — it will only make you feel more pressured and nervous! Instead, just tell yourself that you’re meeting someone new for coffee, and enjoy the experience!

See each date as a fresh start

When you first start exploring online dating you might find yourself shocked and excited by the sheer amount of options at your disposal. There’s a good chance you’ll go on plenty of first dates before you find someone you want to spend more time with. Each date is a new opportunity for romance. This is a cardinal dating rule for all ages. For better or for worse, try to resist the temptation of comparing each person you meet with your ex-spouse. Learn from the mistakes of the past without punishing each woman or man for what someone else did to you. On the other hand, be aware that each person is unique, and you cannot find your cherished spouse’s perfect clone. In order to find future happiness, you need to let go of the past.

Practice internet safety

While the best senior dating sites will verify the identities of their users, there are unfortunately scammers who sometimes get through on some sites. For this reason, it’s important to be aware and practice internet safety. Usually, they are looking for money. They will start messaging you and form a connection, and once they think they’ve got you in their snares, they’ll come up with a sob story about why they need you to wire them money. How can you protect yourself? See if their profile photos look realistic or as if they are stock photos to pick out who might be fake. If they claim to be a native English speaker but it doesn’t seem that way in the way they write, that is another red flag. They may also come up with excuses as to why they cannot meet you in person or sometimes even talk on the phone. If they ask for money, don’t give it to them and report their profile to the website’s customer service team.

But, don’t let these potential fraudsters put you off. The majority of people who use online dating sites are just like you – looking for love. So, don’t be afraid and allow yourself to make new connections, and new relationships. Just be smart while you do it. Always meet in a public place, let someone know where you’re going, and don’t give away any personal details to someone you don’t really know.