Happiness Begins When You Pass Age 50 Finds Harris Survey for Dating Site
OurTime.com poll finds 82% of 50+ are happier, more optimistic than when younger; 85% say companionship more important
July 18, 2011 Most
young people may not look forward to passing the half-century mark but new research by Harris Interactive
shows 82 percent of Americans over the age of 50 are actually happier than when they were younger.
The polling for OurTime.com, an online dating community targeting people over 50, also shows 72 percent are also now
more optimistic about their future happiness.
And, one result the online dating service was pleased to see, 85 percent of those surveyed consider companionship
more important than it was when they were younger.
This poll, completed in June, contacted 1,064 U.S. adults nationwide that were 50 or older.
To look deeper into factors driving this group's brighter outlook, OurTime.com conducted another survey of a segment of
the one million singles that comprise its membership and found that 93 percent agree that having a romantic relationship is an important
component of their overall happiness.
"The main reason people 50-plus are happier now is that they are more confident in themselves and about what they want
from life," said Dr. Gail Saltz, OurTime.com's Relationship Expert.
"Priorities shift in this stage of life and relationships become more and more important to one's happiness."
Today, there is someone turning 50 every seven seconds, making the 50-plus demographic the fastest growing demographic in
the country, the company says. The 78 million Baby Boomers now represent 28 percent of the U.S. population. According to 2010 U.S. Census
data, almost 30 percent of Boomers are single.
This large group of singles is actively seeking companionship online. Over the last year, the number of dating-site users
50 years of age or older has grown twice as rapidly as any other age group, according to comScore.
OurTime.com says its membership has grown by 400 percent in just two years and describes the growth as astonishing.
"As these surveys illustrate, most people in this stage of life are no longer so stressed about getting ahead in their
careers, and their kids are already out of the house," said Dr. Saltz.
"This allows them to focus on companionship and sharing this fulfilling time with someone they love."
Views that change after 50
The survey of those 50 and older also found that, compared to when they were younger, these adults have changed their
views in the following ways:
● 85 percent agree that companionship is more important now.
● 79 percent are more confident in what they want out of life.
● 87 percent are more confident in their intelligence.
● 82 percent are more confident when meeting new people.
● 91 percent are more confident as a judge of character.
● 52 percent are less focused on "getting ahead" in their career; another 29 percent said the career question was not
applicable to them.
OurTime.com members also weighed in as follows:
● 89 percent are at a point in their lives where they feel fulfilled and are looking for someone to share their lives
with.
● 95 percent are more focused on compatibility, and finding someone who makes them happy, than they were when they
were younger.
● 89 percent say they have a better idea of the type of person who will make them happy.
● 80 percent have children over the age of 25; 81 percent do not have children who live at home.
About OurTime.com
OurTime.com describes itself as an online dating community uniting more than one million singles ages 50-plus, among the fastest growing
demographics in the market. Each day, almost 10,000 new members sign up, more than 500,000 communications are exchanged, and hundreds of
singles credit the site with introducing them to someone special.
It is one of 28 web sites owned by People Media (www.PeopleMedia.com),
a business unit of IAC. The flagship site,
OurTime.com, was created by combining the membership of People Media's
SeniorPeopleMeet.com and
SeniorsMeet.com. With more than one million active members, OurTime.com is now the largest online community catering to singles over 50.
The company is based in West Hollywood, CA.
Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
July 18, 2011 Most
young people may not look forward to passing the half-century mark but new research by Harris Interactive
shows 82 percent of Americans over the age of 50 are actually happier than when they were younger.