Dear Savvy Living,

At age 57, I don't consider myself to be a senior but I do have a question regarding social networking websites for older adults. Which ones do you recommend for people in my age bracket? I'm divorced and interested in meeting like-minded people for fun and friendship near my own age. What can you tell me?


Dear Site Seeker,

Over the past few years online social networking has become wildly popular, especially among the younger generation - but it's not just for kids. While the youth-oriented social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook get most of the attention, a growing number of online communities have sprung up aimed at web-savvy baby boomers and beyond. Here's what you should know.

Social Networking

Before I go any further, an "online social network" is a website where like-minded people can go to chat, blog, offer advice, swap information, and share experiences, photos and videos.

How does it work? Once you choose a site, you'll need to register and create a profile about yourself that includes basic information such as the city where you live, your hobbies and other interests, a picture of yourself or something that represents you, as well as a network nickname by which members can refer to you. Almost all social networking sites are free.

Once you get set up, you can search for people with similar interests, location or hobbies. And you can get in touch with other members by posting a message on a person's profile or by joining a discussion group.

Niche Networks

Niche networking sites bring people together that share the same interests. For example; for pet lovers there's Dogster.com and Catster.com; book lovers can network at GoodReads.com; for gardeners there's MyFolia.com; for movie lovers there's Flixter.com; and that's just a few of the hundreds that are out there. The best way to find a social networking site that matches your goals and interests is to do a web search typing in "social networking" followed by whatever you're interested in (for example - social networking cooking).

Savvy Tips: To find the right social networking site for you, try two or three websites that you think you might like and visit frequently for a month. As always, be cautious about giving out your personal information (last name, phone number, home address, etc.)

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Senior" book. The articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization's official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.