Sexual Expression Of Older People: Article Summary

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

These stereotypes, however, are very far from the truth about what occurs during the late adulthood stage. They stem from a form of prejudice referred to as ageism (Berger, 2008). Gerontologists define ageism as “A form of prejudice used to categorize and judge individual based on their chronological age only” (Berger, 2008, p. 615). The issue of ageism can promote patronizing treatment toward persons in the late adulthood stage and even foster discrimination. For example, people in the West unconsciously process

If sexual orientation is something that we can’t change or choose, then how are these specific preferences such as heterosexuality and homosexuality created? How does one person progress to either heterosexuality or homosexuality? Studies showed that there were genetic factors linked to influencing sexual orientation in males before they were born by increasing the female reproductive capacity in mothers during multiple births. (Iemmole, Ciani, 2008: 393) Though that doesn’t mean that there technically is a “gay gene” that has been discovered, just that several human genome studies has suggested promising areas of research that are pointing to that direction. (Iemmole, Ciani, 2008: 393) With more

In 1972, sociologist Susan Sontag wrote an essay regarding, what she called, ‘The Double Standards of Ageing’. The phrase ‘double standards’ refers to a rule or principle that is unfairly applied to different people. In her essay, Sontag’s 'double standards' refers to older men and women and the inequality that appears to come with ageing, showing how some principles only affects one gender and not the other. There are several different types of double standards regarding older men and women mainly those towards appearance but also including, sexual feeling and class. In this essay, I will be discussing what Sontag’s argument appears to reveal about the relationship between individual agency and wider social structures when it comes to

In Dr. Marcia Ory’s article titled Challenging Aging Stereotypes: Strategies for Creating a More Active Society, many common misconceptions about the elderly are presented and disputed, while also addressing the effect these stereotypes have on the elderly’s view of themselves and how it affects their physical wellbeing. Solutions to getting the older population active and engaged while taking care of their bodies are also presented. This assessment provides a comprehensive breakdown of these topics, while making appropriate suggestions to end the negative stereotypes associated with old age.

Many researchers often ask the question, "Is sex more important than life itself?" In my opinion, I think it could very well be. The procreation and continuation of our species and it' s evolution in life will play powerful roles in our development of our lifespan, health and well-being. The desire and intimacy intinct of a male and a female also contribute to the species success. The measures we take to advertise ourselves to the other sex is what's very species specific but unique when viewing sexual appeal. Popular theory of reason for the differences in gender of a woman; is that she is to be selective in the choosing multiple willing suitors to her one egg or offspring. On the other end of the continumn is the competing or

As people age, their feelings about sexuality change. This can come from stress they experience in life, hormonal changes, physical issues such as medical problems, or just "getting older." Not everyone will have a strong shift in feelings or opinions about sexuality, but some will be more affected than others. This ties into communication and sexuality because many people avoid talking with their partner about the issues they are facing. That can lead to a high level of dissatisfaction that may cause serious problems in the actual relationship. If the people in question talk things over and are honest about how they feel from the beginning of their relationship, they can avoid some of the common problems that come about where a lack of discussion regarding sexuality is concerned. Communication does not guarantee a good sexual experience or a good understanding from either partner, but it does provide a better chance of making things work in a relationship.

In adulthood, the sexuality of mature women is a central focus. Women’s bodies are usually portrayed one of four ways: 1) as symbols for an object and thus exchangeable with it, 2) as a fragmented object made up of component parts that are not bound together in any coherent way to create personality 3) As an object to be viewed or 4) as an object to be used (O’Malley & Patterson & Story, 2009). A decorative role is defined as one in which the individual is passively decorating the advertisement, as opposed to being actively involved with the product or service being advertised. Advertisements featuring physically attractive men and women are much more likely to be used as decorations in advertisements. However, women are four times more

Anna you have been having some issues lately regarding having a boyfriend and your mother is concerned that you are not ready for a relationship with an older boy. At this point you think that what you are feeling for your boyfriend is love, but true love is when your partner can understand what you are going through and help you to go through it rather than force you to make a decision now.

Before volunteering at Atchison Senior Village I was an ageist, I didn’t really like the very elderly or want to be around them. My time at Atchison Senior Village has taught me a lot, and busted some myths about old age. One of the first myths that was busted was that the elderly have no sex drive. One women Lainey and I met at ASV was very adamant about her nurses taking her to the strip club. The nurses thought it would be a fun idea but warned the woman “you can look, but you can’t touch” to which she snapped back “I’ll do whatever I have to do! They aren’t going to tell no to a little old lady!”

Most women often experience anxiety associated with aging. This is reflected in the massive amount of consumer beauty and anti-aging products available to the female population. The emergence of a single line on a woman’s face or a slight puffiness around the eyes, can lead to massive stress over the inevitable aging process. This is due to a prevalent notion that, the older a woman gets, the less desirable she becomes. It is often perceived that she loses the right to dress a certain way, act a certain way and to explore her desires. This documentary will act as a counter argument to this, proving otherwise that woman can continue her journey into sexual exploration for as long as she pleases.

Regardless of age, broaching the topic of sex with someone other than your partner can be highly uncomfortable. In healthcare, patients are just as uneasy bringing up the subject as the healthcare workers. People proceed with hesitance and caution, wondering whether or not it is okay to talk about sex. When it comes to the older adult population, addressing the topic of sex can seem rather taboo. Younger generations view the geriatric population as asexual, preferring to make the assumption that those who are of older age do not engage in any sort of sexual activity. However, as evidenced by Gott and Hinchliff (2003b), the attitudes and thoughts of older adults regarding the role and value of sex in their own lives, remain loosely explored. Healthcare workers need to understand the reality that sexuality perseveres throughout the lifespan and that it is an important factor that needs to be addressed when considering health and the aging process.

This article compares and explore the views of both staff and residents regarding to the barriers to sexual expression in the residential aged care facilities. The study illustrated that most older people remain sexually active and express their sexual needs in many ways. The barriers to sexual expression among older people are due to stereotypes, the loss of partner, the prevalence of chronic diseases, side effects that from the use of medications, the lack of privacy, and staff attitude towards sexuality in older age. Most staff have no training on issues related to sexuality and they feel uncomfortable when come to sexual issues in older people. However, the staff members in RACF’s were aware of many barriers that residents will face regarding

In our youth orientated society, the ageing process has lost its dignity. The elderly are often considered a burden, rather than bearers of wisdom due to their experiences and "geriatrics suffer from a severe shortage of qualified manpower. While there are no doubt a number of reasons for this shortage, one of them is fear of, and resistance to becoming professionally and emotionally involved with old people. This revulsion arises form the connection between the old and death, the image of infertility and asexuality associated with

Acknowledging the impracticality of elder expectations embedded in society’s practices and policies through engaging in stigma management, allows elderly individuals to combat the stereotypes that falsely label them as apathetic. Maintaining a connection with their youthful practices promotes the concept of active aging