When it comes to older adults and dating, age ain’t nothing but a number.
Relationship expert Emily Gordon hosted a forum Wednesday at Flyleaf Books aimed at providing an approach for adults more than 60 years old who are looking to break into the dating scene but might be unsure about how to start.
“As a senior, I have met numerous other seniors, male and female, who are basically lonely,” Gordon said. “Partners divorce, partners die, and they look at approaching the future and get very upset about it.”
Gordon, who has hosted similar workshops in the past, said older adults often have a hard time initiating new relationships.
“They want to put someone in their life, and the topic isn’t always something they can reach out to other people about,” she said. “I’m trying to give people a venue to explore the idea of new relationships.”
Gordon, along with therapist Lane Anderson, spoke to adults at the discussion about the importance of establishing a strong emotional connection with a partner in later years.
Anderson, who also provided advice to married senior citizens, said keeping the element of romance alive is crucial no matter how old you are.
“If you ever give up on romance, you will become cynical — and that’s when you start getting old,” he said.
Gordon and Anderson also tackled the physical aspects of relationships among the elderly, something Gordon said younger generations often misconceive.