Although recognized as a fundamental driving force, human sexuality is frequently misunderstood and particularly in the elders. This is what I enjoyed most about learning about intimacy and sexual relationships of the elder.
Human beings are actually never too old to enjoy a happy and healthy sex life. Despite this, many people, young and old alike, are astounded at the idea of people remaining sexually active in their sixties and beyond. It is frequently assumed that elder persons lose their sexual desires or that they are physically unable to perform (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). For the elders, the ability to remain sexually active is a major concern in their lives. Fear about the loss of sexual prowess in older males is common. Older women also express sexual desire, but may fear their interest is undignified and disgraceful. Some elder persons may even freely accept their interests in sex, but their children or grandchildren may disapprove, making them feel guilty. The elder often view sexuality as an expression of passion, affection, admiration, and loyalty, a renewal of romance, a general affirmation of life, especially the expression of joy and a continuing opportunity for growth and experience. In addition, sexual activity is a means for the elder to affirm physical functioning, to maintain a strong sense of identity and establish self-confidence, and to prevent anxiety. It remains a mode of pure physical pleasure as well. However, not all elder persons have positive attitudes about sexuality. Like all persons, elders may experience sexual dysfunction due to boredom, fear, fatigue, grief, or other factors (e.g., intrinsically low sexual desire, physical disability). Sexuality in the elder is particularly affected by problems that are common in this age group, for example, depression, medical disorders, or incapacitation or death of a partner.
Aging is characterized by physiological, pathological, behavioral, and psychosocial changes that can all affect sexual functioning, and it is difficult to disentangle their individual effects. Clinicians tend to ignore this aspect of the lives of elders, who themselves can find sexual problems very difficult to talk about. In psychiatric interview of elders, sexual history and details are often omitted. Human sexuality and particularly sexuality in the elderly is an area that requires more attention in psychiatric training. A marked increase in life expectancy over the past century has meant that individuals over the age of 65 years form an increasingly large proportion of our population. Yet, very little attention has been paid until recently to the treatment of sexual dysfunction in older adults. Older individuals are generally erroneously viewed as asexual people who have lost both their interest in sex and their capacity for sexual behavior.
I agree that there are many reasons that do prove the myth of older people not being sexually active, but like you said there are also many reasons older people feel judged if they are. A healthy sex life helps build a healthy relationship with your partner regardless the age whether you're 20 or 60. Not having intimacy with your partner could cause interruption within the relationship. It is not so much for the pleasure, but what the two persons mean to each other. I believe that if older people are physically able to be sexually active then so be it.
ReplyDeleteCassie, I like how you mentioned that intimacy and sexuality is frequently misunderstood most commonly among elders, even though it is a fundamental driving force. I agree that individuals are never too old to enjoy an intimate and happy sex life. Young adults have the belief that older adults refrain from sexual activities, but that is not the case. Unless there is a disability or something physically wrong with an elder person that prevents them from engaging in sex then they cannot be sexually active, otherwise there is nothing wrong for aging individuals to do the same things as young adults. I believe that the younger generations are more open about their sex lives whereas the elder generations are more closed off and private. Public displays of affection are normal for young adults and they are comfortable doing it, but elders might be a little more reserved when our in public.
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