| Baby boomer is the term used for individuals born | | | | trees via online resources, and on socializing with |
| between 1946 and 1960. When the second world | | | | friends and acquaintances from the past. |
| war finished this saw a big rise in the amount of babies | | | | Â |
| born. In 2004, these baby boomers held 80% of the | | | | Historically, an issue in everyday lives the elderly face |
| UKs wealth, purchased 80% of luxury vehicles and | | | | is loneliness and isolation caused by restrictions which |
| bought 50% of all skincare products purchased. | | | | make them house bound. The baby boomers are |
| The baby boomers are seen as the first generation to | | | | often computer savvy. They often will book their |
| grow up with a TV set at home, this is why many | | | | holidays online, perhaps check their finances and to |
| seem to have similar humor and ideas throughout | | | | stay in touch with their family via email and other |
| larger geographical regions. | | | | electronic options. It appears inevitable that this |
| Â | | | | older, more technical elderly bunch will extend to |
| Baby boomers are slowly shifting into their retirement | | | | making social relationships and interacting online. |
| years. Market research tells us that more and more | | | | Â |
| will search the internet for online dating and chat | | | | Mature online dating and chat, including free online |
| rooms. Baby boomers are a generation shown to be | | | | dating is set for massive growth in this |
| wealthier, more outgoing, more confident, also | | | | demographic. Many baby boomers, for different |
| discriminating in their purchase decisions. They are | | | | reasons are finding themselves single in their twilight |
| willing to live their lives and do not view retirement as | | | | years. Many elderly singles who are no longer in a |
| finishing their lives, instead as the start of an age of | | | | long standing relationship are looking to enter the dating |
| freedom and happiness. | | | | market for the first time in possibly decades. Online |
|  | | | | dating and chat rooms provide reliable and less |
| Based on research by comscore and hitwise data, | | | | stressful solutions for single baby boomers. Pushed |
| sites such as Facebook and My Space have only 10% | | | | by high divorce rates, the comfort of contacting old |
| of users that are over 55. This indicates that | | | | friends using the internet and the ready availability in |
| although the current older generation are using the net, | | | | many homes of modern computer hardware, online |
| there is less chance to chat or to mingle online. | | | | dating is certain to grow in popularity in the over 50's |
| FriendsReunited and Genealogy sites for example | | | | age group. Contacting old friends via social network |
| though, the member base is older and this shows that | | | | sites has suggested leading to post-divorce |
| moving forward, chat and social websites are likely to | | | | partnerships, and indeed divorces; online dating and |
| develop in popularity for the older generations. Baby | | | | chat services are geared to become an important tool |
| boomers give strong attention to tracing their family | | | | of retirement life in the future. |