Insight
Sex and dating over 60: the last taboo?
A quarter of 18-30 year olds think sex after 60 is wrong, disgusting or only for ‘dirty old men’, according to our new research out today. However, a massive 44% of 18-30 year olds would be happy to date someone over 60 if the person in question was “hot” or if they fell in love with them.
We commissioned the study of 2,000 18-30 year olds as part of our mission to reframe the value of older age. We are on the hunt for like-minded brands to join us on a quest to challenge attitudes to the over 60s.
According to the study, one in ten 18-30 year olds think that people over 60 shouldn’t be dating or looking for new relationships, citing that they should “have separate beds” or “focus on being grandparents”. A further 15% of people thought that any dating past 60 would only be acceptable if it was for purely platonic purposes.
We also canvassed older people to find out if there might be a demand for a dating website for people in their 80s and 90s. A whopping 90% of people gave the idea the thumbs up in the survey, including Esme, aged 81, who met married her second husband in her 70s and is keen for other people in their 80s to find love again. “I have never looked back,” she explains. “Don’t be shy and you’ll find your kids and relatives accept your new partner!”
Gorgeous grannies over 60 may have even more dating opportunities as 17% of men aged 18-30 would date someone over 60 if she was “hot”, compared to just 7% of women. But both sexes were equally prepared to be swept away by romance, with 36% of women and 29% of men being prepared to date someone over 60 if they fell in love with them.
Dot Smith, aged 72, is particularly excited by the prospect of finding a younger boyfriend. “Life doesn’t stop just because you get older,” she explains. “I enjoy meeting new people and wouldn’t care how old someone was if I liked them. Why shouldn’t someone in their twenties find me attractive? It just shows they have excellent taste!”
With 42% of people over 65 being separated, divorced, widowed or never married – and with STD rates in the over 55s rising at a rapid rate – we at Forster AGEncy believe there is a need for a new attitude to sex and the sixties.
The time has come to challenge perceptions of older people. Today’s 65 year olds were the original teenagers and grew up during the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s. As people like Helen Mirren, Mick Jagger and Iggy Pop enjoy their 60s, it’s time to recognise the true worth of an age group that has traditionally been sidelined or ignored by marketers and much of society.
47% of 18-30 year olds hope that they will still be enjoying physical relationships once they pass 60.
People living in East Anglia are the most optimistic that their sex lives will continue into their sixties, with 58% intending to remain sexually active, compared to just 38% of Londoners. People living in Northern Ireland and Scotland were most against sex over 60, with more than one in ten people saying that your sex life should stop on your 60th birthday. Meanwhile, 52% of Londoners would happily date someone over 60 if they were attractive or they fell in love with them, compared to just 35% of people in the North East.
Given the significant economic power of people over 60, there
are extensive commercial benefits to be gained from developing
products, services and appropriate communications for this key
audience.
Check out today's
Mirror or The Sun to see what they think of our survey.
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Our changing bodies
Well, there is of course no short answer to this question. As ever, the diversity of the audience must also be considered - some people will face a great range of challenges that need to be considered and others very few at all.
As a starter, the points below highlight some aspects to consider when designing food-related products and services for older people.
Mobility: As mobility declines, travelling to – and around – the shops becomes harder. Food delivery is an option but losing the social benefits of a regular trip out should be considered too. Standing at the cooker, chopping food and lifting heavy pans can also become a real challenge.
Cooking for one: For some, cooking in later life may be a new skill. Others may find it difficult to find the energy to cook just for themselves on a daily basis. Retail trends, such as large portion sizes and buy-one-get-one-frees rather than savings on individual purchases, also need to be considered.
Taste: Many scientific studies report that the ability to taste flavours declines with age. One risk is that too much salt is added to compensate. Everybody likes tasty food so careful thought needs to be given on how to make the most of flavor in a healthy and nutritious way.
Difficulty chewing and swallowing: Having fewer teeth, no teeth or dentures all bring challenges that need to be considered - as does swallowing; especially if someone has Parkinson’s, has had a stroke or has any kind of throat or neck cancer.
Packaging and labeling: Milk bottles seem to win the dubious honour of getting the largest number of ‘thumbs down’ from our insight panels. Other baddies include smoked mackerel ‘peel back’ packaging, tins of meat that require a key to twist off the packaging, cans with a ring pull and fiddly dishwasher tablets. Using tiny type for cooking instructions, best before dates and other handy information can also be unreadable to many.
If you’d like to share your own insights, loves, hates, whizzy solutions or arrange a meeting to find out more from the team, please drop an email to George@forster.co.uk or call 020 7403 2230.
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Are old family recipes the real superfoods?
A quick show of hands in the Forster AGEncy team shows that many of our happy family memories centre on Sunday tea times with grandparents, accompanied by homemade cakes. But, thinking beyond lashings of butter and artery clogging suet puddings, what about the nutritional value of some more traditional foods?
Offal, a firm favourite in the traditional English kitchen, is rich in protein, minerals and iron – vital for a healthy immune system, energy and healthy blood. Kippers on toast are the original superfoods, according to naturopath and nutritionist, Emma Mihill. Loaded with Omega 3, they help maintain effective brain function. Cooking from scratch also ensures that you know what’s in the pot – no hidden saturated fats, preservatives, or overdoses of sugar and salt.
So, do old cooking habits die hard? Well, yes and no. Mrs Beeton’s famous books still fly off bookshop shelves and it’s hard to switch on the television without coming across a programme specialising in ‘proper British cooking’. To the surprise of many on both sides of the Channel, BBC food magazine Olive recently revealed that 72% of Brits cook at home every day, compared with 59% of people in France.
However, the tendency for the sense of taste to diminish with age and for appetite to decrease can lead to dietary changes for many.
Emma says that some older people stop preparing their favourite meals when their nests empty. “For many, the motivation to cook nutritious food every day is ensuring that their family are well nourished. When children grow up and leave home, cooking may over time become less enjoyable,” she explains. ”They don’t think it’s really worth it when it’s just for them and many swap cooking good hearty food with low-fuss, low-nutrition ready meals.”
While reaching for the roasting tin and a kilo of goose fat may be slightly missing the point, perhaps it is time for us all to dust off our aprons, get back behind the stove and rustle up some good healthy autumnal fare. And why not make an occasion of it and use it as an opportunity to ask over a neighbour or relative that you’ve not seen for a while?
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Free foodie fun
Come along and taste a breakfast event with a difference. You will be able to put on the ageing up kit, wear customised gloves and use adapted glasses to help you see food through a new set of eyes. Once kitted up, a range of activities will help boost your awareness and understanding of food related needs and challenges that many older people face every day.
Join us and find out how your products and services can be evolved to meet the needs of this important and growing audience.
The event is free to attend but places are strictly limited, so don’t delay!
Please book your place by Thursday 2 December by emailing George@forster.co.uk or calling 020 7403 2230
Date: Thursday 9 December Time: 9-11am
Location: Forster, 49 Southwark Street, London SE1 1RU Contact: 020 7403 2230 / George@forster.co.uk
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Third of men under 30 would date a 'hot' 65-year-old like Helen Mirren
Sex and dating over 60: The last taboo?
We commissioned the study of 2,000 18-30 year olds as part of our mission to reframe the value of older age. We are on the hunt for like-minded brands to join us on a quest to challenge attitudes to the over 60s.
According to the study, one in ten 18-30 year olds think that people over 60 shouldn’t be dating or looking for new relationships, citing that they should “have separate beds” or “focus on being grandparents”. A further 15% of people thought that any dating past 60 would only be acceptable if it was for purely platonic purposes.
We also canvassed older people to find out if there might be a demand for a dating website for people in their 80s and 90s. A whopping 90% of people gave the idea the thumbs up in the survey, including Esme, aged 81, who met married her second husband in her 70s and is keen for other people in their 80s to find love again. “I have never looked back,” she explains. “Don’t be shy and you’ll find your kids and relatives accept your new partner!”
Gorgeous grannies over 60 may have even more dating opportunities as 17% of men aged 18-30 would date someone over 60 if she was “hot”, compared to just 7% of women. But both sexes were equally prepared to be swept away by romance, with 36% of women and 29% of men being prepared to date someone over 60 if they fell in love with them.
Dot Smith, aged 72, is particularly excited by the prospect of finding a younger boyfriend. “Life doesn’t stop just because you get older,” she explains. “I enjoy meeting new people and wouldn’t care how old someone was if I liked them. Why shouldn’t someone in their twenties find me attractive? It just shows they have excellent taste!”
With 42% of people over 65 being separated, divorced, widowed or never married – and with STD rates in the over 55s rising at a rapid rate – the Forster team believe there is a need for a new attitude to sex and the sixties.
“The time has come to challenge perceptions of older people,” explains Pippa Strutt from Forster AGEncy. “Today’s 65 year olds were the original teenagers and grew up during the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s. As people like Helen Mirren, Mick Jagger and Iggy Pop enjoy their 60s, it’s time to recognise the true worth of an age group that has traditionally been sidelined or ignored by marketers and much of society.”
47% of 18-30 year olds hope that they will still be enjoying physical relationships once they pass 60.
People living in East Anglia are the most optimistic that their sex lives will continue into their sixties, with 58% intending to remain sexually active, compared to just 38% of Londoners. People living in Northern Ireland and Scotland were most against sex over 60, with more than one in ten people saying that your sex life should stop on your 60th birthday. Meanwhile, 52% of Londoners would happily date someone over 60 if they were attractive or they fell in love with them, compared to just 35% of people in the North East.
“Given the significant economic power of people over 60, there are extensive commercial benefits to be gained from developing products, services and appropriate communications for this key audience,” adds Pippa.
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Forster supports free creative workshops for over 65s in Bankside
People aged 65 and over in Bankside are invited to apply for The Architecture Foundation's series of free creative workshops this September, supported by Forster AGEncy. Email donna@forsteragency.co.uk or call 020 7403 2230 for more information.
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