n the 1990s, the hit television show, Golden Girls, explored the lives of four elderly women living in Florida. One of the tough subjects they commonly handled was the idea of sex and the elderly. It was really ground-breaking because it wasn’t something that was spoken in popular culture. But there it was…
Sex is not a topic that many of us are comfortable about sharing. However, just because you turn a certain age, sex is still a very important part of our lives. If you liked “doing it” in your twenties and thirties, it isn’t something you can just turn off like a light switch. The fact is, having a healthy sexual lifestyle into your golden years is perfectly normal.
A 2007 survey conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine showed that 87% of married men and 89% of married women are still sexually active between the ages of 60-64. This number begins to decrease with the advancement of years, resulting in about 29% of men and 25% of women still enjoying sex into their eighties. The reason for the decline? Lack of potential partners! So you can see, sexual intimacy is not for just the young at heart.
Some of the results from the study also showed:
People whose health was excellent or very good were nearly twice as likely to be sexually active as those people who were in poor or fair health.
While nearly 50% of the people polled reported having some sort of sexual problem (erectile dysfunction, low desire, etc…), only about 22% of those people had discussed the problem with a doctor after the age of 50.
Women of all ages were less likely to be sexually active than men. The main reason was lack of partners or being a widow.
So what are the benefits of having a healthy sex life after sixty? Often sexual problems are an indicator of more serious problems, such as diabetes, infections, or cancer. Untreated sexual issues can also lead to depression.
On the other hand, sex after sixty is something that you can fully enjoy with your partner. In most cases, the kids are out of the house, you may be retired, and you have your “Golden” years to spend with the one you love.
