Sexuality Within The Older Population

Sexual health is defined by the World Health Organisation as “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality in a way that enriches and enhance the life of the person” (World Health Organisation, 2006).

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) are one of the most common and preventable health care problems in the world. The ageism of the population and the increase in the number of older adults, along with healthcare advances that provide better and longer quality of life, has encourage changes in sexuality amongst older adults. This increase has prompted healthcare workers to familiarize themselves with the sexuality of older adults. In this report, I plan to discuss the significance of this topic, the concern for the public, and interventions that can be implemented from a Community Health Nurse prospective.

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

Over the last fifty years there have been many changes to the sexual attitudes and behaviors in the United States. Going back through the early 1900’s misinformation was abundant when it came to the sexuality of the baby boomers and other older adults. Often when thoughts come to mind it is humorous to the younger generation when the notion of aging individuals engaging or enjoying sex. It is brought up in conversation disdainfully in media.

This paper will outline sexuality at different life stages, and as a sexual therapist I will coach an adolescent girl with a boyfriend who is pressuring her to have sex; an elderly couple with a wife exhibiting a renewed interest in sexual activity and a unwilling husband; and finally a handicapped male that has been paralyzed since he was four years old.

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

Human sexuality is a common phrase for all, and anything, pertaining to the feelings and behaviors of sex for the human race. Sexuality has been a topic that has been discussed and studied for as far back as 1000 years B.C. and is still being studied today. As the discussion of sexuality has progressed through history, theories have been created based on research and experiments that scholars have implemented, based on their own perceptions of human behavior. Out of the many theories that pose to explain sexual behavior, Sexuality Now explained ten that are seemed to be the most overlapped, and built off of theories. Of these theories, two that were discussed in the text were the behavioral and sociological theory. These two theories cover some of the basic ideas of what could possibly influence a person’s sexuality.

The sexuality and reproductive assessment helps describes sexual fulfillment, sexual perception, and sexual self –concepts. (Edelman & Mandel, 2011). This assessment is focused on the satisfaction of one’s sexual life, and the changes that take place throughout a lifespan. Another pattern is the coping-stress tolerance pattern. This focuses on the family’s adaption to internal and external pressures related to their health, environment, and social status and how they cope with these pressures in their day to day lives. Finally, the last pattern is the values and belief pattern. Values and beliefs vary in different cultures. Therefore, the focus of this pattern is one’s attitude regarding the meaning of life, spirituality, and how these attitudes affect the family related health problems. (Edelman & Mandle, 2011).

In “Sexuality and Aging-Research on Aging” Dan Sewell, MD, explains the revised definition of sexual intimacy, the need for doctors to ask about sexual activity, and the need to take care of ourselves.

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.

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.

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

According to the Department of health (DOH) (2013), people should know and understand how to protect their sexual health but also know how to access the appropriate services. This assignment will discuss factors that may have an effect on an individual’s sexual health such as education, the socio-economic and cultural environment; how the behaviour and lifestyle choices can have an impact on health and the consequences it may have within our society. It will also discuss the importance of the nurse’s role in promoting the health and wellbeing of all individuals and reducing health

Firstly, age is a valuable dimension due to the strong positive correlation to erectile dysfunction (ED) incidence. Secondly, as shown in the demographic data presented by Lilly ICOS, most men who suffer from ED are either married or living together with their partner. Being the influence of the spouse one of the

Throughout history it is evident that human sexuality changes do to religious, governmental and societal influences. The perception of human sexuality has gone through many changes such as being very open and unlabeled activity; to being very “conservative” and a topic that shouldn’t be talked about in public or at all. In any case, human sexuality has always been a topic of interest because humans are sexual beings who want to understand the consciousness of themselves as male or female and see their personal response when encountered in erotic experiences with other individuals. Unlike many other species whose sexual force is strictly for reproduction, human’s sexual drive seems to be driven by many factors that intertwine with each other which leads to very different outcomes. Do to these obscure human emotions and personal gratification, sex is always shown every culture’s art, literature, social norms, and laws.