Notes from Youville: Seniors and Romance
As we live healthier, longer lives, we enjoy by extension healthier, longer love lives. And that means new trends in romance, like more unmarried seniors living together as couples and more seniors exploring online dating.
Last fall, near the end of two performances at Youville House and Youville Place, professional storyteller Norah Dooley asked residents to recount their first kiss. At both performances, the room filled with giggles as people approached the microphone to share their memories. One resident recalled kissing his wife while under water. When Dooley remarked, “I’ve never done that. How is it?” the man simply replied, “You ought to try it!” Memory always seems to perk up when recalling the key moments from our earliest romances. But what if Dooley had also asked residents to recount their most recent kiss? Would the room have filled with as many giggles and stories? Just as we have distinct memories of our earliest feelings of affection, we …
