Cynthia Matson

Single and Over Fifty?

Are you over fifty, single, and looking for that special someone? You are not alone! Adults over fifty are becoming one of the largest and fastest growing segments of the population. Why? It is primarily because of aging baby boomers and advances in modern medicine.

According to 2003 Census Bureau statistics, 28.6 percent of adults aged 45 to 59 were unattached. This figure is up substantially from 1980, when only 18.8 percent of adults aged 45 to 59 were single. Current studies show this upward trend continuing at a greater rate.

Many single “seniors” of today are young at heart, vibrant, and looking for love! They do not like to be referred to as seniors. Fifty is “the new thirty,” and even though AARP recognizes members once they turn fifty, very few fifty-year-“olds” consider themselves “old.”

According to an AARP survey of single baby boomers, seventy percent of the respondents said they dated regularly and twenty percent of older singles reported having intimate relations once a week or more.

There are many ways adults over fifty can find suitable mates. Personal ads, matchmaking services, and internet dating are all popular options being used today. The most widely available method is Internet dating. With the advent of the Internet, computer-savvy single seniors have unlimited online dating options.

Matchmaking services exclusively for adults over fifty are fewer in number but offer a more personalized approach towards dating. What are some of the other differences? Online services usually offer membership to all individuals willing to pay a fee to become a member. Matchmaking services can be more selective in who they offer membership to. With online services, once an individual has joined, they are typically able to post a profile about themselves on the company’s Web site and can also “surf” the site for other members of interest. Matchmaking services screen clients in person for membership consideration. Once an individual is offered membership and joins, the company hand selects other members for that person to be introduced to.

Some online services do have members submit their profiles directly to the service for the company to make matching recommendations. These types of online services are more similar to traditional matchmaking companies; however, their membership is still usually open to anyone that applies. The other difference between the two is that online matchmaking services rely on paper qualifications alone, while personal matchmaking services utilize the paper and in-person qualifications of an individual.

Online dating fees vary, but usually services charge between $45 and $60 per month for membership. At Single Seniors’ Network Inc. in Raleigh, North Carolina, a matchmaking service exclusively for adults over fifty, annual membership is $100 and it includes one introduction/date. Subsequent dates are $50 each on an occurrence basis.

As the owner of Single Seniors’ Network, I find that many of my clients come to me because they like the fact that all members are personally interviewed and professionally screened. Others report that they are either uncomfortable with Internet dating because of safety concerns, or they just haven’t had enough exposure to computers to utilize them effectively.

Even though most adults over fifty are introduced through friends and family, clients wouldn’t dream of telling those closest to them the things they have told me, but usually this information is critical in finding the right match for the client. As the number of single adults over fifty continues to grow, so too will the services available to them.

Cynthia Matson grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Science degree in May of 1988, was married in August of the same year and relocated to North Carolina in November of 1989. Over a two year period, twenty five family members relocated to North Carolina from Massachusetts and all currently reside within five miles of one another!

Upon graduation, Cynthia began working with the senior population as a Recruiter of caregivers for a Home Health Services Agency. She enjoyed spending time with the seniors as she evaluated the performance of her placements in their homes. After a brief stint placing Physicians and Nurses in emergency rooms across the country, she accepted a position as Branch Manager for a local medical nurse recruitment and placement agency. She oversaw the RN’s and LPN’s that were assigned to various nursing homes throughout Wake County.

Apr 06 - Single and Over Fifty?

She was offered a position as an Administrator in Training but opted instead for a Regional Directorship which allowed her to travel between North Carolina and Florida to open and manage branches for a Texas based temporary service chain. She eventually settled down in Raleigh as the Branch Manager of an employment service where she stayed until becoming a new Mom in 1997.

As a stay at home Mom, she helped launch her husband’s electrical contracting business and managed its day to day operations. By the year 2000, baby number two arrived and Cynthia was kept busy continuing to manage her husband’s electrical business while chasing after her young children.

In 2002, Cynthia founded Assignment By Choice Inc., a volunteer, non-profit parent advocacy organization formed to unite parents opposed to the reassignment policies of Wake County’s Public School system.

As President of this organization, Cynthia became a public spokesperson representing parents of children affected by reassignment. The organization became recognized locally and nationally as the largest opposition to Wake County Public School system’s policies and launched Cynthia into the public limelight. She has appeared on local and national television, is a frequent guest on local and national radio talk shows, was highlighted in the New York Times and is in talks with 60 Minutes concerning a potential segment on Wake County Public Schools.

As a result of her work with Assignment By Choice, Cynthia was contacted in July of 2005 by Washington D.C. to step in as the State Director for The Parents Network for Better Education, a federal grant providing free information to low income families about their rights under No Child Left Behind. Cynthia successfully completed work on the grant in December of 2005 and decided concurrently to step down from Assignment By Choice so that she could pursue her dream of working with seniors again.

Cynthia Matson, owner
Single Seniors’ Network Inc.
919-616-7603
www.singleseniorsnetwork.com