168: What a season of The Golden Bachelor has taught us about love, aging, and society

Aging in Style with Lori Williams

What are some lessons from the reality show, The Golden Bachelor?

My social media specialist Sarah Polan rejoins me to discuss "The Golden Bachelor," a spinoff of the dating reality show where a group of women compete to become engaged to a single man. In this version, the bachelor is a 72-year-old widower named Gerry Turner, a man looking for his next great love after the death of his wife Toni.

Now that the finale has aired, we review the show in its entirety and share our thoughts about the outcome. We discuss:

- How this spinoff compared to previous seasons with younger contestants

- What we thought of the winner

- How Gerry conducted himself – and if it’s okay to say ‘I love you’ to multiple women

- Which ladies were our favorites

- Who should be Golden Bachelorette

- The lessons to take away from this show

Compared to the original, it’s refreshing that the women on the show are all older and don't engage in the catty behavior and fights we've seen in other seasons of "The Bachelor." I’ve noticed in my work that women in their 60s and 70s don’t see a point in drama – life’s too short. While the women Gerry sends home may not win his affection, they earn a different type of love: the love of friendship. It’s heartwarming to see older women make close bonds with each other, which unfortunately can become rare as we age.

Over the course of the show, we see age is just a number. Love is not just for the young! Plus, they still go on adventures in Costa Rica, such as rappelling off a cliff and riding horses. Don’t let your mind trick you into thinking you’re too old to try new activities or to meet someone new.

Overall, Sarah and I enjoyed watching "The Golden Bachelor" and the reminder that love has no age limit. Plus...we’ll likely be tuning in to the live wedding ceremony on January 4, 2024!

Topics discussed:

- The Golden Bachelor on ABC

- Reality TV for seniors

- Love, romance and companionship as a senior

- Making new friends

- Lessons from The Golden Bachelor

Takeaways from this episode:

- It’s never too late to find love. Society seems to think it’s just for the young, but The Golden Bachelor reinforces that such attitudes couldn’t be more wrong.

- Age is just a number. The women in "The Golden Bachelor" are all in their 60s and 70s, but they are still open to trying new things and starting a new beginning with a special someone.

- The love of friendship is also super important and can be a comfort to those without a partner.

Resources mentioned in the episode:

160. How the new season of the Bachelor is changing mindsets about dating in the golden years

https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/episode/348e0107/160-how-the-new-season-of-the-bachelor-is-changing-mindsets-about-embracing-romance-in-our-older-years

060. 96 Years Young, World War II Vet, the MOST Inspirational Senior I know

https://www.loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/episode/57a002ea/060-96-years-young-world-war-ii-vet-the-most-inspirational-senior-i-know-meet-doug-brown

To suggest a topic, be a guest or support the podcast, please email [e-mail]

For more senior resources and to sign up for the newsletter, please visit:

https://www.facebook.com/LoriWilliamsSeniorServices/

https://www.instagram.com/theloriwilliams/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/theloriwilliams/

https://loriwilliams-seniorservices.com/aging-in-style-podcast/