Senior, mature or single: A qualitative analysis of homepage advertisements of dating sites for older adults

In light of the growing importance of online dating sites for older adults and their potential for increased social support and leisure activities, the present study assessed the verbal contents of homepage advertisements of online dating sites. We identified dating sites for older adults through the Google web-search engine, during May 2016. All verbal information available on the homepage of the sites was used for analysis purposes. Qualitative content analysis was conducted, using open coding, followed by grouping of codes into major themes. A first theme, named, “how are older adults described?” addressed the advertised characteristics of the target population. Older adults, were portrayed in positive-neutral terms vs. negative terms. A second theme, named, “what do older adults want?” described the main purpose of each site as promoting long-term relationship or even marriage vs. companionship or flirting. Ambivalence about old age is evident in the ways older adults and dating sites are advertised.