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22 February 2006
Sexual Spark Remains Throughout Life 
Sylvia Hacker doesn't let her age stand in the way of a healthy sexual life, despite the fact that she's 83. A retired sex educator, Hacker believes that, although age is inevitable, a lack of sexual desire doesn't need to be. "From the sperm to the worm we are all sexual," says Hacker. "The reaction times may change, but you always have that built-in desire." And Sallie Foley, a sex therapist at the University of Michigan Health System agrees, saying that many adults can, and do, stay sexually active well into later life. Over a 20 year career, Foley has worked to help many couples and individuals break down sexual barriers to improve the quality of their relationships. One of the most pervasive myths, she says, is that after a certain age, a person should no longer be sexually active. "Whether one has a sexual partner or not, sexual satisfaction is an important part of people's lives," she explained. "People need to understand how their body has changed over the years and be open to allowing pleasure in their lives." According to Foley, while sexual responses will sometimes change with age - because of hormonal changes or vascular problems - the sexual vitality remains. In fact, while women experience a reduction in hormones as they age, there can, paradoxically, be an increase in sexual interest. But even with a healthy sex drive, many older women often feel that their body no longer fits the image of the sexy, attractive adults portrayed in the media. Women shouldn't dwell on this, said Foley, and instead move beyond body image and become more focused on love and pleasure. "People often need to be reassured when they're snuggling and canoodling together that body image really is not a problem," she added. And a word of caution, age does not automatically provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases. "People over 50 often think that they are now off the hook, because they no longer need to be concerned about contraception," said Foley. "But just because you don't need contraception, doesn't mean you don't need protection. In fact, there is a rise in sexually transmitted diseases in people over 50 because they are not practicing safer sex." Foley offers some tips for elderly women on how to spice up their love lives: - Acknowledge the importance of intimacy, love and sexual pleasure for well-being
- Make quality time with your partner a priority
- Learn more about the emotional and physical aspects of sexual response, how those responses change with age, and dealing with those changes
- Discuss changes, share suggestions, and talk about fantasies and desires
Visit UMHS Health Topics: Sexual Problems and Aging for more information. Source: University of Michigan Health System
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