Aging & Sexual Health

Discussing aging and sexual health was very intriguing. While we are exposed to sexuality and sexual health early on in our program, this lecture brought a whole new thought process to life. We really dove into the understanding of the older adult physiology and psychology when it comes to having sex later in life. 

One of the concepts that struck me as highly interesting, was the impact sexual health has on emotion and physical well-being in humans. We don't consider the fact that orgasms can relieve pain, reduce stress, and improve sleep, all while also allowing us to feel closer emotionally to our partners.1 Also, orgasms can increase the lifespan; one study identified that having an orgasm 2 times per week can increase the lifespan by 8 years.1  That is an awesome statistic to me! If you knew there was a miracle medicine to increase you lifespan, would you take it? I'm sure you would. So why not consider this option for your clients. 

On the flip side of that, it was interesting to see the implications of no sexual interactions. Partners, particularly females, can take the lack of drive from their partners as insulting, assuming they are no longer attracted to them.1 In addition, males receive a lot of pressure from society to be competent at everything, including sex. This back-and-forth struggle can result in a negative dynamic in a sexual relationship. And all of these possibly leading to infidelity.1 Luckily, as an OT, sex is an occupation and we are able to address it through therapy. 

Possible interventions to provide to an individual:
If the OT has a client who has recently undergone a major surgery, such as an amputation, the wife may be concerned with the husband finding her attractive anymore, or that she is too fragile to be seen as a sexual creature. It will be important to increase the client's confidence in this matter to maintain a healthy spousal relationship. The OT could educate the client on positioning and the use of pillows. Maybe the client finds a laying on her back a comfortable position, where she can place pillows to support her amputated limb for sex. 

 Possible interventions to provide to a group:
If the OT is completing a group intervention at a nursing home for individuals with cardiac conditions and the staff asks her to discuss safe sex practices, she could not only discuss the proper use of safe sex measures (i.e. condoms), but also discuss the importance of activity pacing and other energy conservation strategies during sex to prevent them from further cardiac complications. 

When we're younger, sexual health is a subject that is pretty off limits, particularly so since we live in the Southern states. As we grow into adults, society places many pressures on individuals to perform in a certain fashion in regards to sex; not to mention the way media escalates sex today. 

Thank you for reading this discussion on aging and sexual health! Until next time!

Sincerely, 
The Young OTS


References:
1. Valli, J. (2019). Aging and sexual health: intimacy over a lifetime [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from https://blackboard.uthsc.edu/
Resources:
AARP. (2010, may). Sex, romance and relationships: AARP survey of midlife and older adults. Retrieved from https://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/general/srr_09.pdf
Cash, T. F. (2008). The body image workbook : an eight-step program for learning to like your looks (2nd ed.). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.


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