Discourse Surrounding Aging and Sexuality Our culture likes to ignore that everyone has sex for pleasure in some form or fashion. Created and preached has been a hard-fast narrative that sex only equals intercourse, and intercourse is only reserved for procreation or for the enjoyment of the young and beautiful, which very quickly begins to limit our understanding of the needs of those not using or falling into these realms, young or old. Consider that the young will age, the beauty will fade and procreation not forever possible. Things we cannot control will happen physically, causing our bodies to not be able to operate in ways that we once enjoyed, but that should not make us abstinent against our will. While some natural physical …show more content…
Even memory loss does not mean the loss of libido. Among the geriatric community, dementia is a huge topic (or fear) of discourse. Dementia can alter the definition of closeness as our minds require different things. An interesting example of this is the story of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'connor. She resigned from the Supreme Court after her husband developed dementia, but upon progression, she transitioned him into an assisted living facility. After having gotten adjusted to his new home, he became acquainted with another woman, someone he ate lunch with and chatted to throughout the day, and the Supreme Court Justice realized there would come a day her husband would no long know this woman, much less the meaning of the word wife, but this added to the quality of his life in a way that satiated him (Melanie Ramey). The expression of sexuality as simply a consistent presence for older adults, especially those with chronic illness, can enhance the quality of life. For many couples coping with dementia, physical intimacy continues to be a rich source of mutual comfort, support and pleasure for many years (Sex and intimate …show more content…
Television and film do a wonderful job of widowing parents or creating a life so intertwined with their children that is their identity. When we do witness the actions around sexuality and the aging it is almost never serious, often leaving one to think that that the elderly engaging in any sexual contact will prove perverted, dangerous or lethal (Dan Sewell). Much like advertisements for products incite us to buy them, the views of sexuality and senior citizens we see in the media carries into real life, leaving the elderly to be labeled as either asexual or are met with phrases like "dirty old man" or cougar, simply for having a desire that exists within all of us. Being of the community and seeing these perceptions does not make it easy to be open about feelings regarding the topic on any level, exacerbating any existing esteem issues that could be onset of aging (Melanie
The truth about how sex among older adults is portrayed in the media and popular culture is simply that it is not portrayed very often in these mediums. Preadolescents and adolescents tend to receive much of the sexualization that is used in these mediums while the elderly tend to never get portrayed doing these types of activities. This can be attributed to the media's presentation of the perfect human specimen, man or woman; of which most elderly people do not satisfy as they have wrinkles, sagging skin, more skin marks (moles, freckles) and overall are not attractive by the media's standards. Older people have the life experience and intelligence to ignore such impositions and therefore, it does not affect their sexual lifestyle. To the
I found the most recent state plan on aging at http://www.dea.ri.gov/documents/RIDEA%20State%20Plan%20on%20Aging%20October%201%202015%20to%20September%2030%202019.pdf. The Older Americans Act requires states to submit this plan every four years and it provides updates on legislation and activities were done over the past time period to support older adults, as well as give updates on what will be worked on in the future. It is sent to the State of Rhode Island to ensure policies are up-to-date and will provide the best care for this population. This is necessary in order for taxpayers to see where their money is going and how the RI DEA is planning to care for the older adult population. Otherwise, without this document, the department
Sexuality in aging is an interesting topic being that everyone will age and the information is vital to know. Countless amounts of people want and need to be close to others, as they grow older meaning they yearn to endure a lively, fulfilling sex life. With aging, there might be changes that can produce later difficulties and issues. Typical aging brings physical changes in both men and women. These changes occasionally disturb the capability to have and enjoy sex. As a woman the vagina gets older and begins to change. The changes are things such as the structure, shape, and even size changes. The lubrication begins to slow down. These changes most likely will affect sexual functions or pleasure.
Aging to me represents a normal cycle of life and normal part of my life path. However it’s up to me how I age. Trying to lead a healthy lifestyle will hopefully allow me to age well.
For the elderly, it becomes a concern as it does with losing any other motor function. Society has become increasingly more aware that the elderly is just as concerned with their sexual performance as the younger generation. Subramanyam & Pinto (2011), address that most elderly have difficultly verbalizing their sexuality because of shame. Shame formulates from what we believe is acceptable and unacceptable in society and how we will be perceived.
What if there was a cure for aging? Never get old and living for a long period of time? What if there was a medical technique for you to inject yourself and add 50 years or so to live. The only way you could die would be either a disease, car accident or by your own choice. You would get a chance to detect how much the world changes over time. An unlimited time to earn as much money as you want. Even get a great education! You could be 20 when you get the “never aging” shot and stay 20 while you can attend to a 4 four college and be someone important at the age of 20. Doesn’t that sound great?
Hi this is Loura Abdou. I am in PSY 447 Psychology of Aging. I am trying my best in this course and I worked really hard on this paper. I would have probably have gone to the writing center if I had extra time, but I also had a medical emergency of my own. I understand that grammar is important when it comes to writing papers. I have written many papers in my time, but I have to say that I have never received so many points taken away all to do grammar especially for a first time assignment. I hope that you can reconsider my grade or if I can resubmit the paper again for the grammar changes.
Evidence has suggested that social isolation and exclusion have negatively affected healthy aging. Social engagement, on the other hand, had contributed to the positive effect on overall health. This article seeks to explore the role of service providers in establishing and maintaining a supportive social environment that foster engagements and compliment health care intervention towards healthy aging. Walker et al., (2013) explore the process of age-related difficulties that affect social engagement from the perspective of older rural residents and health care provider in Australia and how aging changes in the dynamics on social connectedness. After interviewing different responses from both older residents and the service providers from six
The article suggests that nurses need training, education, and continuing education on how to address sexuality in a chronically ill older adult. In addition, the nurse completing the comprehensive physical assessment tends to ignore or omit taking a sexual history. A sexual history should include some of the following; the older adults needs for meeting sexual desires, role expectations, the reason for sexual concerns.
Though aging can create some physical barriers to sexuality, it did not negate those wants or feelings. HowStuffWorks additionally highlighted a study that claimed increased sexual health discussions with primary care providers and further information about how to combat physical sexual barriers, could lead to an increase in life fulfillment amongst older adults. A possible origin of this stereotype may come from the general media’s portrayal of the elderly. The elderly usually serve as characters stripped of sexual identity, in lieu of supporting roles as the wise advisor. Anecdotal evidence suggests that when older adults are sexual beings, it is as the butt of jokes or in some other comedic
These articles all have one common idea, the idea that older people are indeed still interested in sex and are in no way going to stop engaging in it. As mentioned in almost all the articles, sex and intimacy are part of the quality of life. Sexual expression is not only beneficial for the body, but it is beneficial for the mind as well. Stereotypes, myths, ageism, and lack of knowledge from health-care professionals are all reasons as to why many people believe that older people do not have sex in their later lives. As one ages, life does not stop, the desire to feel pleasure is apparent and will still be there even with all the barriers present. Acquiring proper knowledge and educating ourselves will only allow us to grow and better ourselves in our late lives.
Michigan, studied the biopsychosocial perspective of sexual desire in older adult men and women. The purpose of the study examined biological, psychological, and socio-environmental factors in understanding sexual desire. They argue, sexual desire is distinct from sexual behavior, and is the drive behind sexual behavior. Biological changes related to chronic illnesses and medications, decrease sexual desire and interests in both women and men in older age. Psychological factors related to negative attitudes about expectations and beliefs of the aging body. American society idealizes the youthful body images leaving older adults to feel ashamed of their sexuality. Many older adults engage in sexual activity with a partner. However, desire decreases with relationship longevity. Furthermore, the loss of a partner may decrease sexual interests. DeLamater and Moorman reported similar results in subsequent research in 2007. This study supports the theory that maintaining sexuality intimacy in aging is important to aging health.
Bourman and Kleinplatz (2015) wrote an article titled, Moving Towards Understanding Greater Diversity and fluidity of Sexual Expression of Older People, and stated that, “Sex is assumed to be for the young, beautiful, able-bodied, and heterosexual. Older people are often perceived and portrayed as post-sexual. Unfortunately, the result of these negative perceptions is that older people themselves often hold similar self-stereotypes” (Bourman & Kleinplatz, pg. 1). As in previously mentioned studies, stereotypes appear to remain a common thread as well as ageism does. The world sees older people as lifeless, unable to enjoy life, unable to adapt to changes, which results in older people being ignored and in a way forgotten
As a 25-year-old adult, consider myself on the younger spectrum as far as biological age. However, I am being reminded daily that I am getting older. I no longer can recover from a workout as rapidly as I used to, I require more sleep after a night of staying up late, there are no more “all nighters”, and I have recently developed pain in my joints and spine. As you may have noticed, all the reasons I have listed above seem obviously negative. This is exactly what I am hoping to get out of this class. A positive perspective of the aging process. I have noticed when I pay attention to the physical aging process my body undergoes; my brain is focused on the negative changes and instead should be focusing on what my age has given me over the years. I am hoping, through taking this class, I will expand my knowledge tremendously on the aging process and begin to switch my way of thinking to a more positive one and begin living a better quality of life as the years pass.
This topic took me by surprise. I don’t live with older adults, only my parents. I have never had a grandmother to talk to so I just never thought of the idea of growing old with someone. Research from NSSHB 2010, shows that people between the ages of 18-29 have sex on average of 112 times per year, while adults 40-49 have sex around 69 times a year. This study shows that 3 percent of married women reported that they had never had sex in the past year. I find this information important because lowering of