Sex and intimacy is hugely important to the health of people over 50, according to a top ageing expert.
Professor of Medical Gerontology, Des O’Neill, has advised that people should take a broad view of sexuality in later years.
“Sexuality is important and I think it’s very important to take a very broad view of sexuality,” he revealed on Dr. Eva Orsmond’s new series, How To Live Better For Longer.
“I worry sometimes people focus overly on the genital bits and the sexual act as opposed to your being, looking good, feeling good, intimacy, holding hands and feeling desirable, little bit of flirting and these sorts of things.”
The final part of the RTE series presented by Dr. Eva Orsmond reveals how attitude to life and social interaction are hugely important in the ageing process.
It also examines how our bodies age, how our brains age, the diseases of ageing and scientific advances.
Dr. Orsmomd said the latest research has found sexual activity is important for people over 50.
She said: “The (research) tells us sexually active adults tend to more positive in their perception of ageing.”
Psychosexual therapist, Mary O’Conor, said people are never too old for a healthy sex life.
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She said: “It’s never too late. There are benefits for everything.
“A lot of retired people will say it’s a lovely time if they can rekindle a bit of the intimacy.
“You don’t have to fit sex in after you’ve done the kids’ homework and got the kids’ lunches ready for the next day.
She said sexual interest does decrease to a certain degree with the natural ageing process.
She said: “I think it’s important to say that, so people don’t feel they are different.
“People don’t think about sex as much and probably don’t have as much and that is OK.
“If a couple have had a successful, regular sexual life in their younger years, they will continue to have in their older years.
“Also people in the older age group are very often with the same partner for years and years, so the excitement is long since in the past but it has been replaced by a deepening emotional closeness.
“It’s whatever the couple are comfortable with and happy with and if it’s happy it once a year or once a month or once a day then it’s fine as long as they are both content with what they have.”
But Professor Rose Anne Kenny, Head of Ageing at St. James’s Hospital and TCD, said elderly people should take care when it come intimacy.
“Sexual activity isn’t always easier as people get older so it’s important to discuss sexual activity with your general practitioner, and this is not frequently done, and to use assistance and aids to ensure a pleasurable sexual life in relationships.”
