What is the significance of a woman being attracted to older men?

Sometimes, I think, women who have been abandoned by their fathers spend a lot of time trying to find father figures to be their partners. There must be other reasons why women are attracted to older men. I’ve heard women say that the older men are more mature. Also, a woman might not be particular to a person of any age; they might be willing to partner with a person in a wide range of ages.

But let’s say it is because of father “issues” of one kind or another. Or it is because the woman wants to feel safe or protected or taken care of.

Is using a man this way a sort of psychological treatment? If so, does the treatment work? What is it treating the woman for? Is it always self-esteem? And if the treatment works, will the woman lose her attraction for the older man? Could she be using this experience as practice that will help her with other relationships (say to her father) or for future relationships? I.e., could, at some point, she “graduate” and move on to someone who is more appropriate for her because she has finally grown up?