Creating an Allergy-Free Bedroom Oasis

An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from allergies. In addition to outdoor air filled with pollens and molds, allergy sufferers are confronted with allergy triggers within the home. Now is the time to take steps to create a relaxing and allergy-free sanctuary in your home, and the best place to start is the bedroom.

The bedroom is especially susceptible to becoming a dangerous place for allergy sufferers. What should be a relaxing oasis can become an allergy sufferer’s nightmare for many reasons. For instance, we all sweat when we sleep. In fact, every night a person loses one pint of body moisture in addition to shedding millions of dead skin cells. This creates an ideal breeding ground for dust mites and other bacteria — major causes of asthma, eczema and allergies.

There are things you can do to keep your bedroom the relaxation center of your home. Implementing these simple tips will go a long way toward reducing the causes of allergies and other health problems in the bedroom:

Sleep Tight All Night

We spend up to a third of our lives in bed, and although sheets can be washed, mattresses and pillows are not as easy to clean. Limit the amount of allergens that can collect on them by using mattress and pillow protectors.

Look for bedding protectors are breathable fabric barriers that are waterproof, washable and have a 100 percent natural cotton surface that are hypoallergenic. so they are guaranteed to not only be quiet, but also cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Avoid using or handing down old, possibly dust mite-infested mattresses or bedding to other family members, especially children. Reusing a mattress may seem like a good idea to save money, but mattresses that have not been properly cared for are breeding grounds for allergy triggers and can be passed from one household to the next.

Fresh and Squeaky Clean

Be sure to wash your bed linens weekly at a temperature above 130 F or 54 C. Washing your linens in a hot temperature will kill dust mites and rid your bedding of other contaminants. Finish by hanging bedding outside in direct sunlight for a few hours.

Cleaning furniture in the bedroom, such as the dresser, nightstand and television, regularly will help eliminate dust. Dust, a common allergy trigger, can be inhaled while asleep, causing an uncomfortable night’s sleep. Be sure to clean off surfaces with a damp rag on a regular basis to remove excess dust and dirt.

Mold is also a common problem for allergy sufferers. Mold produces a musty odor in addition to millions of spores that become airborne easily, causing allergic reactions, asthma episodes and other respiratory problems for you and your family. Treat any mold growth with a bleach solution and make sure the area is kept dry.

A Retreat, but Not for Dirt and Dander

Forty-one percent of dog owners and 51 percent of cat owners allow their pets to sleep in their beds according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. To prevent bringing dander and other pet allergens into the mattress, wash your pets regularly and, if possible, keep your pet out of the bedroom. If you can’t sleep without your pet, use Protect-A-Bed bedding protectors, which will keep your mattress and pillow free of dander.

Also be conscious of the dirt that is brought in on your shoes, pants, coats and other items. This dirt can penetrate carpets, bedding and mattresses and can be difficult to clean. Remove items that can potentially collect dirt prior to entering your bedroom.

A bedroom is a place for relaxation and rejuvenation and should not be a place that causes health problems. A clean, allergen-free bedroom will create an oasis for the body and mind.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Don’t Leave Your Home in the Dark

Extreme weather continues to increase nationwide, and power failures often accompany these events. According to the National Weather Service, each year Americans cope with an average of 10,000 thunderstorms, 2,500 floods, 1,000 tornadoes and six hurricanes. Although over two-thirds of power outages are caused by weather-related events, these are not the only causes. Blackouts and brownouts also occur because of high power usage, aging utilities and other unpredictable forces.

In a world of high dependence on technology, an increasing number of homeowners and small business owners are installing a permanent standby power generator — and even more are considering one, based on the growing popularity of these automatic units.

“Residential standby generators are becoming increasingly popular lately because they are convenient and more affordable than before,” says John Schultz of Kohler Power Systems-Residential. “But we advise consumers to research their options, figure out what their back-up power needs are and then plan ahead before investing in a home standby generator.”

Most home standby generators feature an automatic transfer switch (ATS) that continually monitors utility power and automatically transfers electrical loads from the utility to the generator when power is lost — whether the resident is home or away. The ATS reverses the process and shuts down the generator automatically once utility power resumes.

Tips regarding standby power

• Always Plan Ahead. Orders for most residential generators may have a lead time. For homeowners who don’t have access to natural gas, preparing for a liquid propane (LP) tank is necessary before installing a standby generator. Planning ahead ensures customers don’t have to wait any longer than necessary to get systems up and running.

• Seek a Site Visit First. The Internet and retail stores are a great resource for researching standby generator options, prices and features, but before you buy online or off the shelf, consult with a local generator dealer or electrical contractor first. Ask for a site visit and assistance with matching the right generator size to your electrical needs and wants. They will conduct a load measurement, taking into consideration exactly the electrical wattage needed and the appliances/equipment you intend to back up with the standby generator. The result of this load measurement will give you the amount of power (watts or kilowatts) required. The majority of today’s homeowners use a 12-15 kilowatt generator to backup the key essentials in the home, while those seeking to backup every electrical item in their home will likely require a generator sized at 30 kilowatts or larger.

• Professional Installation Required. Because installing standby generators involves working with existing fuel lines and electrical wiring, professional installation by an authorized manufacturer’s power expert or licensed electrical contractor is strongly recommended. These qualified individuals are also knowledgeable about local and regional ordinances concerning flood plains, noise and electrical codes, and can assist in applying for the proper permits and to ensure your installation is compliant.

• Shop Around. Often, in an emergency, vendors will engage in pirice gouging. Be sure to purchase your generator from a certified dealer.

• Look for Efficiencies. “Building or remodeling is the perfect time to consider standby power needs,” says Ed Del Grande, three-time master pipefitter. “Even if you aren’t able to install a generator immediately, pre-wiring can save time and money down the road.”

• Understand Key Features. When shopping products from various manufacturers, be sure to consider noise levels, size, power quality, warranty and service support, in addition to the product’s kilowatt capacity.

• Make Safety a Top Priority. While a portable generator can be a cost-effective alternative to a permanently installed standby generator, always take proper safety precautions. These gasoline powered generators can create sparks and need to be operated in a well-ventilated area because of the carbon monoxide produced.

To calculate what size standby generator will meet your home’s power needs, use the Sizing Calculator at www.KohlerSmartPower.com where you can choose which home appliances you would like to keep powered in the event of an outage and learn more about standby power.

Article courtesy of ARAcontent

Finding the Right Real Estate Agent

(ARA) – Many Americans are thinking about moving, for any number of reasons from seeking a home with more space to moving because of a job change. Buying or selling a home is likely one of the biggest financial transactions you will ever have, and it can often be a complicated and time-consuming endeavor. By enlisting the help of a real estate professional, the process can be made considerably less stressful and much more enjoyable.

So what’s the benefit of using a real estate agent? A full-service real estate agent can provide you with suggestions for getting your home ready for sale and information on prices of comparable properties to help you establish an asking price. When it comes time to list your house, an agent can advertise and market your home and show it to prospective buyers. Once you have an interested buyer, a real estate agent can help you negotiate with interested buyers as well as make arrangements for the closing.

As you begin the process of buying or selling a home, look for a seasoned, knowledgeable real estate professional who understands local market conditions and has the specific experience to best meet your needs. With a little upfront research and some helpful hints from GMAC Real Estate (http://www.gmacrealestate.com), you’ll be on your way to finding the best real estate agent for you and your family in no time.

• DON’T — Go with the first real estate agent you meet. Take the time to interview several agents to figure out which agent will best meet your needs.

• DON’T — Let family members or friends “give it a go” at selling your home. While it would be nice to help a loved one or friend get a foot in the door and a commission, it is best to go with a real estate professional with experience and a proven track record in your marketplace.

• DON’T — Use part-time agents; those who practice real estate in their spare time. Real estate transactions are complex endeavors and you need agents who are committed to your transaction (and their career) and who know the ins and outs of the process.

• DO — Check with family and friends for the names of agents they would recommend.

• DO — Find agents who specialize in your neighborhood and your specific type of home. Interview agents with experience that matches your needs and make sure to ask whether they have a comprehensive customer satisfaction plan in place. Find out what their customer satisfaction rating is and whether they will put in writing, up front, the services they will provide for you.

• DO — Ask agents for a market analysis that allows you to compare your house to others to ensure that the agent you choose has done his or her homework and fully understands the nuances of your market.

• DO — Ask each agent to share a list of past houses he or she has sold, including the list price and the price at which the house was sold. Also, ask for the average length of time it took to sell these houses as compared to the average length of time for other houses in your market.

• DO — Carefully compare the proposed marketing plans for your home that each agent presents to you. How your home is marketed will play a central role in its sale. Be sure to pay extra attention to how your property will be marketed online. Ask your agent how he or she plans to drive traffic to your home to generate multiple offers.

• DO — Ask agents for references from their last three clients. If they hesitate, they are likely the wrong agent for you.

• DO — Check for the personality “click factor” of your prospective agent. In addition to choosing the agent who offers the kind of experience you need to help you buy or sell a home, select someone whom you will enjoy working with.

Article courtesy of ARAcontent

Set the Stage for a Quick Home Resale

In this buyer’s market, how do you make your home stand out in a sea of “For Sale” signs? According to the International Association of Home Stagers, investing in small improvements that make your home look more inviting and appealing to prospective buyers can increase its ultimate sale price by 7 percent and make it move up to 100 days faster.

Experts say that it’s the little touches — like a fresh coat of paint, updated window coverings or a new floor — that make all the difference. And since the decision to purchase a home often is made within eight seconds of walking in the front door, it’s crucial that spaces where the eye automatically rests (such as walls, windows and floors) are impeccable.

Follow these quick and simple tips from the experts to increase your home’s chances of selling sooner rather than later:

Lighten Up

Light is the second most cited reason — behind location — for a buyer to choose a property. One easy way to illuminate your home’s interior is through paint. Neutrals always make a safe choice, but nothing says sunshine and warmth like yellow. While this shade won’t work for every area, it can be beautifully incorporated into public spaces like living and dining rooms.

According to Barbara Richardson, director of color marketing for ICI Paints (maker of the Glidden brand), yellow has the natural ability to elevate our mood and make us think of opportunities and possibilities. Richardson suggests pairing yellow hues with complementary shades of blue-violet on a home’s walls to make the color truly sing.

Combined with dark woods or white accents, the color takes on a classic look and adds a sunny disposition to an interior. And for an even quicker way to inject a touch of vibrancy to any room, Richardson recommends yellow accessories — such as pillows, artwork, rugs and vases.

Create a Clearer View

Prospective buyers are curious to know how a new home will change their perspective on the world. Don’t obscure the view of a beautiful natural landscape or a charming street with heavy curtains. Consider replacing draperies with sheer or solar shades. For instance, LightWeaves from Graber allow light to be filtered and diffused, while maintaining a clear view to the outside and reducing glare on television and computer screens.

And once you’ve installed shades that let the sun shine in, don’t forget to make sure all of your windows are sparkling and dust free prior to an open house. It also helps to add a breath of fresh air and reduce stuffiness by opening up windows an hour before visitors are expected to arrive.

Put Your Foot Down

Scuffs, stains and scratches under foot can make a home appear older and unkempt. Cover worn carpet and torn vinyl with laminate flooring. According to Don Cybalski director of design for Pergo, laminate is inexpensive, durable and easy to install in just a weekend. Not only does it closely replicate the look of real woods — from cherry to oak to maple, and even the hottest exotics like merbau, jatoba and bamboo — but it also maintains a “like new” appearance for longer. Laminate is guaranteed to effectively stand up to the wear and tear of hundreds of footsteps that may track through your home while it’s on the market.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Gardening Without a Garden

As days warm and mailboxes burst with garden catalogs, many people begin to find their green thumbs itching to play in the dirt. But if you’re one of the countless people for whom a full-fledged garden isn’t a possibility, you don’t have to give up the vision of bountiful blooms and fresh produce. There are options available to provide everyone with a way to grow.

Folks with limited space or mobility — or those who want the beauty and benefits without the hours of work — are discovering the many different types of container gardening. Once reserved for apartment dwellers only, container gardening can now work for every lifestyle, as more and more people are discovering.

If you’re looking for a way to grow vegetables, flowers or herbs without all the tilling, weeding and pest control and without tearing up large portions of your yard, consider a self-contained growing system that takes up almost no space and needs very little maintenance. A multi-pot system, like the American-made EzGro kit, allows gardeners to cultivate up to 20 plants in only a few feet of space. These complete kits provide everything you need to start growing, including an easy-to-assemble plant tower; durable, specially designed pots; and growing medium and plant food for lush, bountiful harvests. The structure allows the plants to be rotated for optimal sunlight exposure. Two models — one for securing directly into the ground and another designed for terraces, patios or indoor spaces — let everyone exercise their green thumb.

Because of EzGro’s unique configuration, gardeners can enjoy a huge variety of plants not normally grown in pots. By using the special planting medium instead of soil, plants get the full benefit of water and nutrients, without danger of over- or under-watering. Most garden vegetables, including peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, green onions and peas, grow to their full potential, even doubling their yield, out of the reach of pests and unbothered by weeds. And harvesting is easier as well, without bending, stooping or digging.

Containers can also create a welcoming entryway. Filled with trailing vines and colorful blooms, baskets and decorative pots are easy to care for and provide a punch of color at your door. Choose large, shallow baskets on either side of a doorway, or place a half-round basket against a gate or fence. Use an EzGro for a cascade of flowers along walkways. Stagger pots of varying sizes along your front steps or create a grouping to define your backyard patio. But if your containers are placed in a sunny area, be sure you can access them to water often — baskets and containers tend to dry out much more quickly than traditional plantings.

So this season forget the back-breaking work of seeding and weeding. Spend your time enjoying what you’ve planted instead of taking care of it.

Article courtesy of ARA Content

Caregiving – Role Reversal for Parents and Children

As children, many of us took for granted the countless hours of hard work our parents endured to ensure we grew into happy, healthy and respectable adults. By the time most people enter their early twenties it becomes very apparent how much time and dedication is needed to take care of another life almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Is there ever a time when you have the opportunity to show your parents just how much you appreciate everything they’ve done for you over the years? Absolutely.

Giving Back

As parents age, they become more reliant on their children to help with everyday activities. It becomes evident that your parents need help with simple tasks like driving to their doctor’s appointments, grocery shopping or paying the bills. When these things start taking place, it’s the perfect opportunity to show your parents the same respect they showed you growing up. It’s time to step up and start taking care of them.

Obstacles

Taking care of your parents (especially if they live in your home) is physically and emotionally exhausting and will likely impact your life in a very big way. It’s important to realize that you’re not alone. Millions of families struggle with in-home care but the care you give now will make your parent’s final years so much better and will give you peace of mind once they’re gone.

Besides coping with common conditions many elderly men and women face (dementia, arthritis, incontinence etc.), other obstacles like taking care of their finances, making sure they take their medication and providing them with proper nutrition also come into play. Basically, everything your parents have been maintaining up until this point now falls onto your shoulders.

Overcoming the Barriers

As your parents become older and require more and more care, helping them on a regular basis begins to take its toll on you. Your first priority will generally be your parent’s needs (much like you were your parents’ first priority when you were a child) but you need to make sure your health is in good condition. How are you going to help your parents if you can’t help yourself?

If you feel as though the burden is becoming too much, there are several alternatives to consider. Contacting an in-home nursing company is probably your best option.

Generally, nurses will come once or twice a day (or a few times a week, depending on how much help you need) to take some of the pressure off you and allow time for you to take care of yourself (got to the spa, the gym etc.).

Another alternative to consider is a nursing home. While many seniors are hesitant to enter a nursing home, it could end up being the best option for everyone involved. Senior homes offer nursing care, social activities, meals and more and will allow you to live your life normally again.

Peace of Mind

Caring for your parents as they become older is very rewarding. At the end of the day, you know you did your best to make sure that they continue to live their lives as easily and worry-free as possible. The peace of mind that knowing you had the opportunity to give them back what they gave you all those years is priceless.

Article by Mary Sanders

Online Dating Tips for Seniors and Baby Boomers

Are you single and retired? Ready to explore dating once more? You are not alone. The fact is, there are a lot of people aged 50 and up who are looking for a new partner. Most often than not, seniors turn to the Internet to explore online dating for finding a new partner or simply to look for new friends.

For those who have lost a partner or someone special, times can be a very tough and also very lonely. Senior dating might just be what you are looking for after long years of grieving and living alone. Opening yourself towards new companionship may help you realize that life still has a lot to offer.

Yes, you do still have your children and grandchildren that mean the world to you and bring you joy and happiness. At the same time, it might not be enough to replace the emptiness within your heart. It makes all the difference in the world when you know you have that special someone with you all the time. Someone who you can open up to by sharing all your stories because you know they will understand.

There are a lot of online dating sites for seniors, which can help you meet others just like you. These sites serve as place where you can socialize and communicate with other single seniors who are also interested in dating. These sites will usually ask you to fill out a form where you can include details about your personal information and dating preferences. What you choose to include is up to you and the information you submit will be used to create your online profile. In return, the site will match you up with other individuals who are possibly compatible based on your online profile and preferences.

Of course like with anything new, there can be some skepticism at first if these sites really work and if your information is secure. These sites have actually put in measures in place to ensure your profile is secure and that is a big reason there are millions catching onto this new phenomenon. As a matter of fact, people have been finding their true loves online and even getting married which is growing rapidly by the tens of thousands.

How many friends and family do you know that have gone on dates to only find out that the other person isn’t really that compatible? What if they were just always on their “best foot forward” and it became difficult to break ties with that person? This is the beauty of the Internet as it can allow you to connect with possibly your “soul mate” with literally the click of a button.

If you decide to join an online dating site, just be sure to keep these things in mind for your safety:

1. Investigate. Be sure to sign-up only on reputable online dating service sites. Ask friends and even do a search online with your favorite search engine. Within the site, you should find information showing if they are “TrustE” or “Hacker-Safe” certified. This is where the site has to undergo a strenuous process and strict privacy guidelines to be compliant. You can usually find this information within the sites “Privacy” link or “About Us” section.

2. Be Cautious. Do not give out too much personal information too soon. It is advisable not to reveal your real name, email address , your home address or work address and phone number unless you are absolutely sure that you can completely trust the person and that the date is real. You can even take a friend with you and meet in a public area if you want to be 100% comfortable.

3. Take advantage of free sites. Before signing-up to any senior dating services online, be sure to check if there is a fee to join. Also, ensure to “read the fine print.” Tip: There are a lot of top, reputable online dating sites that offer their services for free.

When creating your online profile, remember these tips to make it easier to find the right person:

1. Be honest. Be sure to put the correct information and do not lie about your age, otherwise, you will mislead people, making it harder for you to find your match.

2. Think. Make sure to ask yourself about the important qualities you are looking for in a partner before filling out the profile form.

3. Promote yourself. It will help if you focus on your positive traits and things that you can offer in a relationship.

4. Be realistic. You cannot replace your spouse that you have lost. Therefore, when looking for a new partner, try not to compare the person to your previous partner. Remember, everyone is unique.

5. Be patient. Do not rush. Keep in mind that things don’t happen overnight. Be sure to know the person as much as possible. Take it one day at a time.

6. Upload your best photo. Upload you nicest picture as your profile. Based on recent studies, members of online dating sites look at profile pictures first before making any effort in getting to know other members better. It might not be right, but this is reality. Don’t stress out too much about this as the saying goes: “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.”

7. Don’t be too picky. Try to lessen your search criteria in order to get more possible matches. People who tend to be too picky end up not finding Mr. or Ms. Right. Be sure to set realistic and attainable expectations.

Follow these tips to ensure you’ll have a very positive experience online and possibly find the companionship you have been looking for.

Article by Catharine Allado

A Senior Friend is a Friend Indeed

As we journey through life we travel through many different stages from childhood to seniority, we meet various people that become our friends but you cannot beat the true value of a senior friend.

A mature friend understands the expedition that you have traveled as they have also walked along the same path. Both of you have so many adventures to discuss and have witnessed so many,( maybe too many) changes, some good some bad, along the way.

You have experienced the joys that life has to offer; perhaps one of these was when you initially encountered your now old friend. Have you journeyed through life together? Always being there for one another when needed? Always offering that shoulder to cry on when times were bad? Or has your senior friend only recently entered into your life?

If your friend has been by your side throughout the epic adventure that is life then this is a true friendship that you are lucky to have. Many people are not fortunate enough to experience a friendship like this. A friendship where you know each other so well and trust each other implicitly is truly precious. A true friend should be cherished for they are valuable.

With all that modern day life throws at us these days to enter into your senior years alone a very daunting thought. This is where your friend comes into play, someone to reassure you and be there for you. A senior friend has seen enough of life to concern themselves about the trivial things. It is your senior friend who will not fall out with you because you used their make-up or borrowed their favorite skirt without asking. That can be left to the teenagers of the world; a senior friend has more dignity than that!

When I was growing up my granddad was my closest friend , always offering me advice and acting the fool, he was on the end of the phone whenever I needed him. Mum told me one day that he was very poorly and developed Alzheimer’s disease, he does not remember us now. When we visit I act as though he is still my best friend and that he is just as he was.

The senior friend in your life will not ask much of you, just companionship more than anything. Someone to chat to about the ‘old days’ when once teenagers are now seniors, discuss the way life used to be. How much the world has altered over the years, perhaps talk about the friends that is not with you today.

The senior years are a point in your life for reflection, contemplation and rumination. To ponder thoughts of what might have been, your senior friend is someone experiencing the same emotions as you who have reached the same point in their journey as you have.

Celebrate the twilight years; they are as precious as you are. Never look back in regret just look back with pride and celebrate the fact that both you and your senior friend are here today.

Article by Chaim Golz

Internet Dating for Seniors

For the more senior folks trying your hand at internet dating can be a little scary. It is not the same as meeting some one face to face for a normal date. Dating is regularly been traditional for the younger generation who are in the early stages of exploring relationships to try their hand at dating. In society it has been a general assumption that most senior people are married or are past the dating stage in life. But that is no longer the case in the new age world. More and more folks of all ages, race and sexual orientation are trying their hand at internet dating.

For the more senior folks internet dating can be heaps of fun even though it may be scary and daunting when they first give it a try. Internet dating is suited for the more senior folks as well as they have life experience, wisdom, knowledge, plus the maturity that comes with age.

Internet dating sites allow seniors the opportunity to meet other people around the same age who are looking for a relationship. This has normally been a challenge for the more elder people as the dating scene is targeted towards the young generation through venues like dance clubs, night clubs, bars and other such outlets. The problem faced for seniors is meeting other singles of the same age who are seeking partners or relationships.

The internet has opened up the opportunity for single senior people to meet others around the same age who are actively seeking a partner or some sort of relationship. Internet dating sites are a booming industry now and many sites are designed and cater for the more senior folks aged over 40. There are over 6 million seniors online looking for partners in internet dating sites on the internet today.

Most senior dating sites offer a free trial membership and providing excellent services like forum, chat rooms, and video, photo profiles. They also offer other tools that make your online experience a confidential and safe one.

It’s important when you sign up to any internet dating site that you make sure it is one that has a good reputation and has very good policies and procedures in place. It is important that you read the regulations before you sign up so you’re aware of what to expect.

Also for safety ensure your personal details remain private and never give out your residential address, financial details which identity thefts or other people can use for their own personal gain.

Try and create a profile that makes you stand out from the others. Try not to lie but add some flare so that it creates curiosity and intrigue. You want the other person to want to get to know you a little better so making your profile different from the normal mundane profile will surely ensure your success.

No matter if you’re a senior in your retirement years, newly divorced, recently widowed, lonely or isolated internet dating may just bring some fun, love, romance and companionship into your life.

Why Online Dating is Perfect for Seniors

First of all, I should say that most people I know, who are over the age of fifty, bristle at being called ‘seniors.’ They don’t consider themselves old, they resent the mail they receive from AARP, and they won’t even accept the discounts available at movie theatres, restaurants, and other commercial establishments, at least until they cross over the sixty mark. Then, they seem to lighten up a little.

I don’t think it’s a matter of vanity, at least not entirely. It seems to be more the fact that they don’t feel like seniors in the traditional sense of the term. These people are not our grandparents grandparents, if you’ll excuse a twist on some stolen imagery. These are not the pie-baking, chair-rocking, knitting needle-clicking grannies of yore. Okay, some probably are, but remember, many of them are the kids who went off to the Peace Corps, fought in Vietnam, marched on Washington, and danced naked at Woodstock. Sorry if that last one put a picture of your grandma in your head that you’ll never get out.

The point is, most of these ‘seniors’ are still healthy, vibrant, vigorous, financially stable and, dare we say it, sexually active human beings. They are online in record numbers, just like the rest of us, and they’re at online dating venues looking for the same things the rest of us are looking for; friendship, romance, companionship, love, and sex. And the good news is, there are a boatload of online services that are designed to cater specifically to the ‘mature’ dater.

o, How’s It Feel To Be An Old-Timer?

Amazingly, you only have to be over forty to find yourself included in this group, when it comes to online dating sites, but the fact is, there really are no rules. There’s nothing to prevent a man or woman of forty-five, or even seventy-five, from signing up at any dating or personals site on the web, and thousands do every day. The only point of the mature-specific dating sites is to make the search easier for the searchers, just like any other niche site. If you’re looking for someone in a specific ethnic, social, religious, or age group, it makes sense to go to where they congregate. If you’re sixty and looking for someone else who’s sixty, and you don’t want to sift through all the thirty-year-olds, then give a mature dating site a spin, even if you resent the terminology. Although, sometimes the sifting can be a good time in itself.

Now, some may think that because Grandpa doesn’t use his mobile phone for texting and downloading tunes, that he doesn’t appreciate, or understand, the technology available to him. But people over fifty have embraced technology, and specifically the internet, with the same gusto as everyone else. They have discovered social networking and email to keep in touch with family and friends, they make their own travel and hotel arrangements online, they investigate and research drug and medical questions, and they are flocking to online dating venues like it’s half-price Viagra.

Anyone Seen My 8-Track of Herman’s Hermits?

It’s true that this is a generation that grew up without computers, and CDs, and satellite television, and talking automobiles. They were deprived of Playstation, wii, voice mail and fat-free bacon, but this generation grew up at a time when, if you wanted to communicate with someone far away, you wrote a letter. Long distance telephone calls were expensive, and generally only for important matters and special occasions. So, this is a generation of people who, by and large, know how to express themselves with pen and paper, or even a keyboard if necessary. They are almost certainly better equipped to pursue an online relationship, with a person they have yet to meet, than someone for whom “Id luv 2 mtU 4 dinA” is a sentence.

No slight intended to our younger readers, but the art of letter writing is still alive and well in many of these ‘mature’ folk, and it’s perfectly suited to the kind of relationships being conducted every day in social forums and online dating venues all over the web. Getting to know someone online is all about communication, including measured doses of finesse and nuance. There can be an intimacy, and a tenderness, in the written word that seems more difficult to get to in a face to face discussion. If you start out with the skill to express yourself, and reveal who you are, on paper or online, then you’re miles ahead of someone who doesn’t.

Does everyone over fifty possess these skills? Of course not. But I’d venture to guess there’s a much larger percentage of skilled letter writers in this age group than in the society of whipper-snappers that largely populates the netscape. Not to disparage whipper-snappers of any age, but writing skills have generally declined with the advent of so many electronic distractions, the personal computer included. Back in the dark ages of the fifties and sixties, television was pretty much the only game in town.

Off The Computer, Kid. Nanna’s Got A Hot Date.

So, the next time you dismiss the idea of Grandma getting lucky online, think again. She may be doing much better than you are. And, if you’re a ‘mature’ person ready for a new romance in your life, don’t dismiss the internet as a possibility. It affords the ability to search for and meet potential friends far beyond your own social and professional circles, and allows you to size them up without even having to speak to them. Then, if they pass initial muster, you can choose to begin an online dialogue. If you’re half as literate as I’ve made you out to be, you’ll be showing these kids a thing or two about online dating that will make them envious of your prowess as a date magnet.

Now, get out there and make us both look smart.

Article by Daniel Perkins

« Previous Page — Next Page »