Age gap relationships - what happens in later life?

[OiledBegg]

I'm 30 and my boyfriend is 50. We've been together for over a year, and things are going really well - we are making plans to move in together sometime in the near future.

We've met each other's family and all has gone well there. My parents are only 6-7 years older than him (although they seem a lot older, as he is quite young at heart) they really like him but my mum is constantly on my case saying that when I am 50 and "in my prime" he'll be 70 which is an "old man", and how is it going to work? She's worried my life will be held back/dragged down if I commit to a man so much older. I used to shrug off her comments but now I am wondering - has anyone got experience of what happens in large age gap relationships when one of you starts getting "old"?

My dad was 17 years older than my mum. I worried about him constantly as a child as he was so clearly older than friends dad's. My mum became a carer for him when she retired at 60 and he was in ill health by then. Instead of holidays in the sun as other retired couples were doing she was practically house bound plus worrying all the time about his health. He died 2 years ago now and she is finally able to travel but has no partner to travel with. My nan had always told me to get a toyboy "better a young man's darling than an old man's nursemaid"

Thanks suzanne, I can't walk away from someone I love so much because of a what if. Will give it more time and I guess once the fuzz has worn off if I am still besotted then I may just have to accept I am stuck with him