Sexuality in Elderly Life
December 5, 2008 by rainier
Some examples of the myths that are associated with the subject of sex and aging include:
* Impotence is a natural consequence of aging.
* Sexual activity can be dangerous for the elderly.
* The sex drive or libido diminishes with advancing years for both men and women.
None of the above are true. These myths have been around for a long time and have made it difficult if not impossible for the elderly to enjoy sexual intimacy in their advancing years without feeling guilty or embarrassed.
Societal attitudes toward sexuality in later life are troubling. A great number believe that far fewer mature men and women have sex than actually do. Many feel that after a certain age, sexuality becomes an insignificant or indifferent part of life. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Most older people experience some interest in sexual intimacy. Many people are sexually intimate well into their 80s and beyond. We do not all of a sudden become asexual beings; our capacity for sexual intimacy will be with us our entire lives. The real differences that exist lie in the way sexuality is expressed. Most anything can be a turn-on at 20, but at 60, after years of sexual experience, expressions of sexuality are more refined, more evolved. The act can be at this time can be a masterwork after years study.
