IF you’re of a certain vintage, where do you go to make new friends or find romance?
Dating apps can be intimidating and the quality of candidates patchy to say the least – some look like extras from Night of the Living Dead – match-making agencies are expensive, and if you don’t belong to any clubs or societies, opportunities to socialise can be fleeting.
This can leave older people feeling lonely and isolated with no knight in shining armour on the horizon (for the record it could be a female knight, see Brienne of Tarth in Game of Thrones)
Freo local Sarah Booth decided to address this dating void by holding a casual, monthly mingler for singles aged 60 or over at the Ode to Sirens pub in the heart of Fremantle.
Older folk will probably feel at home as the walls are lined with classic LP covers.
• Sarah Booth (left) with her neighbour Mary Hill, who was the inspiration for a new 60-plus singles event.
“The idea came for the event when my smart, funny, wonderful 75-year-old neighbour Mary needed to find a partner,” Booth says. “She didn’t have much success on the apps – and I don’t blame her – so I decided to start a whole event for her, and all the other 60-plus singles in Freo, instead.
“Ode to Sirens I love because it is a cool place, nicely lit, cosy and relaxing – the perfect environment for a mingle.”
Booth says the debut event in April attracted a “really nice crowd” and moving forward she hopes to hold it on the last Thursday of every month.
“The event is very casual and low key, everyone gets a name tag on arrival and then can just buy a drink and have a chat,” she says.
“The last event attracted a really nice crowd, so it wasn’t too nerve wracking for anyone.”
So what are the chances of finding your dream partner later in life? A study from the University of Bath revealed the odds of finding love after 60 are 1 in 562 – but only if you leave your chances to fate.
If you are proactive and take steps to socialise and meet new people, the odds dramatically reduce.
Call the Chook soppy and sentimental, but we believe it’s a bit of both – fate and effort – and if you don’t buy a ticket to the raffle, you ain’t going to win.
There are apps and online dating sites for older folk including Silver Singles, Singles 50 and Mature Dating, but Booth says there is no substitute for a socialiser where things happen naturally and are less force-fed.
“I don’t believe apps for any age group can replace the feeling of face-to-face connection,” she says.
“That’s not even old school, it’s just chemistry! What I wanted to create was a place that people felt comfortable and safe getting to know others in the Fremantle community – whether it’s romance or friendship it’s a great opportunity just to connect and have fun.”
In a recent interview with the Herald, 82-year-old Freo resident Sandra Ramini-Harris – whose illustrious broadcasting career included interviewing John Lennon and Yoko One during their peace lie-in – says older people need to embrace the third act of their life, and advocates for a positive shift in perspective on ageing.
She says many have fallen for the ‘young is everything’ message of mass media. She criticises the trend of cosmetic procedures aimed at reversing the ageing process, advocating for authenticity and embracing the beauty that comes with age – grey hair and wrinkles.
Ramini-Harris also rejects the notion that merely existing is a worthwhile goal.
She wants to live life fully, savouring every moment, experiencing new adventures, and cherishing milestones like witnessing grandchildren flourish, and says others should do the same.
The next 60-plus Encore event is scheduled for Thursday June 27 at Ode to Sirens, 25 High Street in Fremantle.