With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many New York singles are taking to the Internet to find a date for the holiday – who wants to eat a $200 pre-fixed dinner alone?

More and more people are turning to online dating sites as a way to fill that second seat, especially singles 55 and over.  According to The New York Times, people 55 and over have turned to the Internet for romance in increasingly large numbers and currently make up the largest number of dating site users, followed closely behind by users 45 to 54.

The numbers make sense – the 2010 US Census indicates that slightly more than one third of people 50 and older are unmarried, and online dating is a great way to break out of your social circle and meet someone new. Add to that the hotly-debated health benefits of relationships and it’s no wonder older people are clicking their way to love.

Of course, if you’re willing to take the plunge and make a profile, the next question isn’t which picture you should post, but what website you plan to join. The online dating scene was estimated to be worth $2 billion in 2013 and offers hundreds of websites promising a shortcut to romance, but not all sites are created equally.

In an effort to help older New Yorkers find the site that “clicks” with their dating style and price point, the tech-savvy team at Senior Planet has compiled annual reviews of senior-friendly dating sites, as well as some tips to get your profile off the ground.

If you’re on the fence about getting back on the dating scene after a lengthy hiatus, don’t worry – data collected from PerfectMatch.com indicate that singles young and old, male and female, all share two of three major complaints about their search for companionship – potential partners who bring too much baggage to a relationship and people who are too eager to jump into a committed relationship.

If you peruse these tips and still find yourself enjoying a dinner for one, here are a few online dating tips from your friendly Community Liaison:

• Be approachable – When building a profile (and it CAN feel like manual labor at times), give your suitors an interesting detail or two about yourself. That way, an observant reader has an easy way to start a conversation, rather than a generic “Hi, would you like to get a drink?”
• Be selective – When they first try online dating, many people go overboard and reach out to dozens of people in their first day.  Balancing that many responses, possible date times and rounds of witty banter can lead to “burning out” almost as soon as you begin.  Try to limit yourself to a handful of interactions at once.
• Let it go – If someone is too slow to respond, or has something in their profile you find unappealing, don’t waste time trying to change their opinion.  As the statistics above show, there’s plenty of fish in the sea.
• Have fun – Even a terrible date can be fun or funny in a “well this was a terrible idea” kind of way.  Sometimes recounting a dating horror story to your next potential Mr./Ms. Right is just the ice breaker you need.

With these tips in mind, maybe it’s time you consider jumping online. As they say, you’ve got to be in it to win it!

SelectCare’s staff of home health care experts understand the importance of social engagement for our clients.  If you would like to learn how our talented staff can help you or a loved one stay socially active, call our office any time and we can schedule a free, in-home health assessment today.