Seniors, Sex
and Staying Safe
Based on the article “Seniors
Having Sex”
on
progressiveu.org
Edited (with Introduction) by Dr. Don Rose, Writer,
Life Alert
--
Yes, it is true --
seniors have sex too. Not surprising, since
older Americans today are living longer and keeping in better shape than ever before.
Not to mention the availability of better and safer, um, “tools of the trade.” Like
Viagra, Levitra, Cialis, and vitamin supplements that can at times achieve the same
goal: improvement in sexual function. However, there is a potential danger for seniors:
lack of knowledge, especially if they have been “out of the game” or “off the bike”
for a while. This article discusses these issues. –Don Rose
--
Introduction
No, the title does not refer to seniors in
high school, nor seniors in college. This is about, yes, sex for grandma and grandpa.
Most people don’t want to think about their parents making whoopie, let alone gramps
and grannie, but the fact is older folks are having more sex than ever before --
since there are more of them, and more of them are staying healthy into their later
years.
Senior sex:
courting danger?
While most people associate sexual risk with youth, sex
for seniors can be more dangerous than sex among younger age groups. Many seniors
haven’t been exposed to sex education, including STDs, HIV and AIDS -- issues that
have impacted so many younger Americans. The young are used to dealing with these
matters, whereas some seniors may be in the dark about sexual dilemmas of the day
– especially those newly single, coming off a divorce or death of a spouse after
years of marriage. Reports have stated that
20% of new HIV cases are
seniors -- a surprisingly high figure, one which suggests a lack
of knowledge.
One problem is that some seniors just think of condoms
as a device to prevent
pregnancy. Since most male seniors aren’t worried
about impregnating female seniors, they may feel condoms are unnecessary. They may
not care or even know about other things condoms can protect them from. Another
problem: seniors often find talking about sex to be rude or improper, even if they
are sexually active. It is a topic that many feel belongs behind closed doors.
Conclusion
If we want to keep grandma and grandpa alive
and kicking for a long time, they need to be exposed to updated sexual information.
Sex in the golden years is happening whether we want to believe it or not. They
have Viagra and other drugs that can help out. Their doctors need to talk to them
about sexual diseases and protection.
Maybe we’ve reached an ironic time in history
where kids need to sit their parents down to have a sex talk. A little weird, perhaps,
but it can save a life.
The information provided here is, to the best of our
knowledge, reliable and accurate. However, while
Life Alert
always strives to provide true, precise and consistent information, we cannot guarantee
100 percent accuracy. Readers are encouraged to review the original article, and
use any resource links provided to gather more information before drawing conclusions
and making decisions.
The article on this Life Alert website and the content
it is based on are covered by a
Creative Commons License.
Please go to the
Creative Commons License
site for more information on the CC license that applies to this work.
Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles
on computers, the Internet, AI, science and technology, and issues related to seniors.
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