Oklahoma Senator James Lankford, in his recently published ‘study’ of government waste
entitled Federal Fumbles pokes fun at a study of ‘Senior Dating’ . “Understanding Age ­related
Changes in Relationship Maintenance Strategies” is the name of the research which was funded by the National Science Foundation for around $375,000. It is a 3 year project. Lankford
calls it 3 years of playing ‘date ­doctor’ for senior adults. He also refers to the NSF research as “federal match.com for seniors”. Cute.
The NSF, in defense of itself, states “The health and welfare of adults is a huge economic concern for our country. There is evidence that loneliness in elderly individuals is linked to chronic disease and mortality.” indeed, Time magazine in March of 2015, said this “Loneliness
kills. That’s the conclusion of a new study by Brigham Young University researchers who say that they are sounding the alarm on what could be the next big public health issue, on part with obesity and substance abuse. The subjective feeling of loneliness increases through risk of death by 26%.

Just this week a man in Cordell, Oklahoma, widower Michael Ray Beach was allegedly murdered by a woman he met on craigslist after he “became lonely after his wife of nearly 40 years died in 2014.”

In summary, loneliness which is especially prevalent in senior citizens is a real problem. Helping
someone to find a companion is a worthy cause, and not something to be joked about.