collage of a senior couple

They’d been crossing paths around Beatitudes Campus for years, but it took one crowded interfaith banquet and a spark of familiarity to bring Jim Plaster and Jeannette Haasarud together.

Jim moved here with his wife in 2011, while Jeannette arrived with her husband in 2015.

Jeannette knew Jim as a former resident council president and remembered how he and his late wife opened their patio home for marketing events. Jim, meanwhile, had noticed Jeannette when she checked him in for lifelong learning courses.

In late 2023, they both boarded the Beatitudes Campus bus to attend the Arizona Interfaith Movement’s Golden Rule Awards Banquet in Mesa. Once they arrived, the space was buzzing, with people and vendors filling every corner, and Jeannette and Jim found themselves easing into the event side by side.

“As we were walking in, I put my arm around her waist to kind of guide her through so we wouldn’t run into anybody,” Jim said. “And then she put her arm around my waist and we said, ‘You want to go look at this together?’”

Jeannette remembers the easy conversation while they wandered the vendor booths before heading to their table. “We were having such a good time, I thought, ‘Gee, I wish we’d sit together at this table.’ It turns out, he was wishing the same thing.”

While they weren’t seated together that night, they were a few weeks later when Jim invited Jeannette to the annual holiday party. Jeannette had been single for eight years, happily immersed in her own routines and interests, not even thinking about senior living dating.

“I was surprised when he called and said, ‘Sure, I would enjoy that.’ He came to the door to get me and was very much a gentleman. And he looked great,” Jeannette recalled.

At the party, an announcement invited everyone to come onstage for photos in front of the Christmas tree. “I thought, ‘Oh, no, this poor guy. Now he’s having to have a picture taken with me,’” Jeannette recalled. But Jim didn’t miss a beat. He slipped an arm around her and said, “Come on, let’s go,” putting Jeannette immediately at ease. Later, he printed the photo and set it by his toaster where he’d see it every day.

After that, they talked often, with Jim calling Jeannette every morning at 8 am. Those check-ins turned into getting-to-know-you conversations, and Jim noticed how much they had in common. “I found out she was from Eagle Grove, Iowa,” he said. “And I was from Shenandoah, Iowa. We were based in the same kind of environment, the Midwest. And, I know it’s a cliché, but we just kind of clicked. We discovered we agreed on a lot, and we tend to see things the same way.”

For Jeannette, the connection felt natural. “I think our values are very similar and that was important. The kind of qualities that he has are things that I admire,” she said. “We both had successful marriages with our spouses, so we know what it takes for a relationship.”

Macho Meets Match: Jeannette Steps In

The turning point in their relationship came in March 2024, when Jim was playing competitive table tennis. “I was reaching really far for a ball and I fell and broke my hip. When the fire department arrived, I was the laughingstock. Everybody joked, ‘You broke your hip playing ping pong!’”

Back home after surgery, Jim insisted he could handle things on his own. But Jeannette had supported a close friend through a similar injury and knew how recovery really works. “Being a macho type I said, I could take care of myself,” Jim admitted. “But Jeanette said, ‘No, I would like to help you.’” She moved in to help with day-to-day needs, and the routine of caring became the routine of togetherness.

Jeannette called Jim a “poster boy” for rehab and recovery. And his friends had a theory about his motivation: getting back behind the wheel of his beloved metallic red Mazda MX-5.

Once he was feeling healthy, Jeannette asked when she should go back to her Plaza rental apartment. Jim answered, “I don’t want you to go back. I like you here.” Jeannette’s reply: “Well, I love being here.”

Senior Living Dating That Feels Effortless

If you’ve ever wondered, ‘How do seniors meet other seniors?’ after a loss or later-life transition, the answer is, they show up to life. “You get to know people on campus a lot, and you intermingle very naturally,” Jeannette said. She calls Beatitudes Campus a “mini college campus,” with 35 acres of places to go, people to see and a steady flow of classes, activities and conversations. Added Jim, “It’s so easy and there are so many ways to get to know somebody here.”

That’s the sweet spot of senior living dating at Beatitudes Campus: companionship first, a comfortable pace and independence intact. Jeannette and Jim describe themselves as a committed couple without the pressure to combine everything. “I kept my apartment. At this age, we keep our finances and everything separate,” Jeannette said. They enjoy having a second place they call “the studio,” where Jeannette sews and bakes, and the two curl up for movie nights together.

Honoring the Past, Choosing the Present

Their relationship doesn’t replace what came before. It adds something real to the present. “We talk about our spouses and honor them. That’s part of our history, too,” Jeannette said. She’s equally clear about moving forward: “You’re not dishonoring your former spouse if you date again. Even if it’s only friendship, companionship adds something.” As their relationship grew, she found herself thinking, “My husband would be smiling.”

Their day-to-day looks like a strong partnership at any age: shared meals, errands, plenty of laughs and even washing their cars together. This often draws smiling neighbors to joke that maybe the two of them would like to do theirs, too.

“We have a lot of shared interests, but there are things that he likes to do and things that I like to do, and we honor that in each other,” Jeannette said. Case in point: after Jim took 30 minutes to iron one shirt, Jeannette happily claimed ironing duty.

Red Flags, Boundaries and First Date Ideas

Some older adults prefer meeting people the traditional way, while others try online options. If you’re looking at senior dating sites like OurTime, SilverSingles or Stitch, a little caution goes a long way.

Beatitudes Campus often reminds residents to watch out for senior scams, and Jim and Jeannette agree it’s smart not to rush. “Get to know the person, check them out and be cautious,” Jim advised.

That mindset helps you feel more comfortable and enjoy the experience, whether you meet someone on campus or through a dating app for older people. Here are a few tips:

  1. Go slow on personal details. Share your interests first. Save financial information, full address and account details for much later, if ever.
  2. Meet in public early on. Choose a well-populated spot on campus or a public venue off campus. Let a friend know your plans.
  3. Watch for pressure. Senior living sex should always center on respect, privacy, consent and personal choice. If someone rushes intimacy, commitment or money talk, step back.
  4. Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it’s enough reason to pause.
  5. Set clear boundaries. Emotional, physical and time boundaries count. A healthy partner will respect them.

For those looking for dates for seniors that feel easy, fun and low-pressure, Beatitudes Campus offers plenty:

  1. Start with something simple, like coffee in the bistro and a walk around campus.
  2. Attend a class together, then keep the conversation going over lunch.
  3. Choose a concert or musical program, and turn it into a dinner-and-a-show.
  4. Try a group outing, then follow up with a one-on-one meal if the vibe is right.
  5. Keep it playful: puzzles, cards, a movie night or a shared hobby.

Live Brightly. Age Boldly. Love Fully.

At Beatitudes Campus, love has room to grow in every form, in a community where everyone can feel comfortable being themselves. Connection might look like a coffee companion, a concert buddy, a dinner date or a committed partnership, and it all belongs here.

Jim and Jeannette’s relationship grew through easy conversation, shared values and steady kindness. “We both marvel that this was a surprise to both of us, and we see it as a blessing,” Jeannette said. “Beatitudes Campus has a motto to live brightly and age boldly, so that’s just what we’re doing.”

Come see how inclusivity, a sense of belonging and partnership can be found at Beatitudes Campus. Call us at (602) 833-1358 or plan a personal visit.

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