Broadly speaking,chronological age only matters to buy alcohol or tobacco products. Physical age, a very different thing (e.g. a given level of fitness) is what matters on the physical side of the hobby - and lots of other activities (even playing shuffleboard). Then there is mental age which probably matters a lot more in the hobby than most people think.
Yes? No? Maybe?

Hey, I'm 56 and still going strong.  Will not quit until I am dead

and see several youngish providers who seem to be thrilled and delighted every time we meet.

Don't let the age thing get you down.  You may be old, but you don't have to act old.

Of course I also see some more mature providers and my experience with them is also delightful, but that is despite age, not because of it.  (Although experience does count for something too.)

Re:How old is too old?

Good grief, oregonfriend,
Age 50 - a mere BABY!!!! Haven't you heard - 50 is the new 30, at least in Hollywood . Believe me, you're in some great company. As long as the plumbing works [and you know it's good for your prostate to ejaculate as often as possible, to keep those pipes humming] keep at it until you're too old to remember how to do it.

As to being self-conscious about your age, that's the fault of the relentless media focus on digitized perfection. Believe me, providers PREFER mature men. Really. Nice, level-headed gents who treat providers with respect and maturity. Men who have a few experiences under their belt and who understand women better than, say a 25 year old whippersnapper. 50s and beyond are suave, sophisticated gents. Providers don't care one iota, believe me on this one. What they do care about is how a man makes them feel...like most women in other words. Sure, there are women who obsess over washboard abs and rockhard pecs, but such women are a definite minority. In fact, several providers just loooove men in their 60s and beyond. They are "easy" clients who usually end up being super-complimentary and full of old-school charm.

At your stage of the game, enjoy yourself with all kinds of providers...young, old, tall, short, etc, etc. Yes, of course providers in their 20s have hard bodies. Go meet with them! And then meet some luscious babe in her 40s. See what you think...I bet you'll like both experiences, for different reasons.

Mick Jagger just turned 63,
the Love Goddess

I see plenty of women in their twenties in this hobby, and I never feel self-conscious.  I may be fat and old, but I can still enjoy myself, and I am paying for the privilege.   If any provider finds me too old, she can refuse to see me--but this has not happened yet.

As my father used to say (and by the way, he is still alive), "enjoy it, don't analyze it."

I have asked a couple of younger providers if they mind seeing older men and both said they prefer them because they treat them like ladies. So go for it and enjoy it, I know I do.

I'm in my early 60's, fit and engertic but to some extent feel like you, however I have never had any bad experiences with younger or mature providers.  I always treat them with respect (see LG's comments)and I get treated the same way.  I do prefer mature (30+) providers however.  Don't worry about your age, be clean and nice and you should continue to enjoy the good life.  Hopefully I can continue to enjoy the beautiful ladies out there for many more decades.

I am a 24 year old woman and I have had some wonderful experiences with gentlemen over the age of 50.  Honestly in most cases I never gave their age a second thought.  They held open doors, said please and thank you, treated the waitstaff wonderfully, and were full of life experiences that they were eager to share.  I have been on one or two dates where the gentleman just could not stop talking about our age difference.  This was  a turn off.  I was not embarrassed to be seen in public or disgusted by them in any way, so I felt there was no need to keep pointing out the age difference.  Please do not hesitate to contact a 20something lady because of your age.  Many of us will welcome you with open arms and your age will be irrelevant.

Simone

After you turn 21, age really doesn't matter right?

I say that too many people get hung up on the chronological numbers which are just a measurement from where you are and your birth date.

And you're only as old as you feel.
If you feel old, you're basically screwed.

I've been accused of never acting my age when I was young and even now. And I've never felt my age either.
Which means I'm having the time of my life!

RH

The key element in an encounter that is essential to my satisfaction as that of my partner.  She must enjoy my company as much as I enjoy hers or at have the capacity to make me believe she does.  And for me this necessity to suspend reality precludes seeking out a substantially younger partner even though that option may exist.  I’m an average older guy with the benefit of no major esthetic defects but even so the probability that some delicious young hard body might by choice prefer to meld with me in carnal bless is a difficult mental chasm to bridge.  Regardless of the business aspect of the event the scenario must at least be plausible for me to immerse myself in our fantasy.  I know this criterion isn’t the litmus for everyone.  Some are enthrall by youth and physical attributes of their selected partners and this alone is sufficient.  They consider the plausibility factor unnecessary and naïve.  No doubt where youth and beauty are the litmus to satisfaction the options available to us are phenomenal.  And fortunately for those of us where to old isn’t a problem but to young typically is, our options are equally phenomenal.

Re:How old is too old?

don't be self conscious about your age, you are looking for a provider, you are paying, so you should got with your lust as long as they are of legal age.  The only thing I would say about going for sweet young things is that they generally don't understand how to be sensual; for many of them, they only have the basics which is spread their legs.  For the older folks, and I am one, we need some coaxing and flirting to be fully aroused, and those teens are not quite up to par.  But this can be easily cured now with the V or C pills.

I'm also 53 and think nothing of meeting with providers in their 20s. I've never really ever thought about them being too young. The last one was 27 and I had a wonderful time, both physically and mentally.

I am 68 and have found that the incredible young girls love the challenge of encouraging my
"plumbing to work". They seem to enjoy the discussions we have and they ask all kinds of questions about life. I have a pace maker, take heart medicine and other drugs that make it difficult to have an erection and mearly impossible to ejaculate.  I state this up front as a challenge for both of us and it becomes a source of interest on her part and a true challenge.
Aerobic sex is as good as running for you heart. The other interesting situation is as many johns as they see, few will actaully help them out in what ever they are pursuing. I have a zillion connections in the entertainment and fashion indusrty so if they need those connections, I use them to give something back.jjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

Here's a slightly different twist.  I've rarely had to confront this issue since I tend to stick to providers closer to my own age (I'm in my 50's).  I much prefer an older woman who has learned a few lessons from life and is more likely to want to enjoy the experience than just get it over with.  I find the younger girls to be too immature and full of themselves, and in spite of their hot looks, the experience is often a dud because they don't know what they're doing and don't really want to be doing it.  Likewise, I'm often told by providers that they don't like younger clients because they're cheap, demanding and ungentlemanly.  That being said, there are many good qualities that often take time to develop.  Age does have its advantages, and they're not lost on the people we interact with.

Take that, whippersnappers!

over 50 is too old of a crowd for me personally, but to each their own.