Romance is important part of growing old, survey finds Whatever life stage we're at, how we spend our free time and who we spend it with can have a huge impact on happiness and wellbeing. Age UK found that the top reasons that people in later life look for romance include the urge to be with someone who can mentally stimulate them and the desire for friendly physical contact. Others look for people to "ease feelings of loneliness," the charity said. As well as showing how people over 65 have an eye for romance, Age UK's research highlighted the importance of enduring friendships for this age group. More than half of the people polled said that they have a "best friend," with two-thirds of these people saying that they have been best friends for more than 20 years. The vast majority of people said that the value they place on friendships increases as they get older. Despite the desire to find companionship, the poll found that 35 per cent of people think they are too old to join the dating game once more. These people worry about rejection and what other people will think. However Donna Dawson, a relationship specialist, said that people should not let these feelings put them off. "The need to love and be loved, whether by a friend or a partner, does not change as we grow older," said Ms Dawson. She said that that people should not be put of the prospect of finding a new partner just because of their age. She said that growing old is no barrier to romance. "We need to remember that we are the same person we always were, with our own needs and wants, and it is important that we embrace opportunities such as taking up new hobbies or meeting others, in order to keep us stimulated and healthy and to maintain our emotional wellbeing," she said. Age UK's Ms Harmer said that the charity has launched a campaign called Spread the Warmth, aimed at bringing people in later life together. We know that there is an appetite for making new friends and expanding social networks. A big part of Age UK's Spread the Warmth campaign is [about] bringing people together to tackle loneliness and isolation in later life my meeting new people with shared interests," she said.