The secret is out: Seniors are still frisky
Younger folks have whispered together for ages: "Do you think older people still have sex?"
A frank survey on sexual activity has been published that puts the issue to rest once and for all. It found that for older people, sex doesn't stop at age 30. Older folks haven't slowed down in the least, with even those in the upper age brackets not losing much ground in the sexual-activity department.
No surprise to me. My patients are just an older version of their frisky youth, according to the reports I hear first-hand. And all you have to do is ask anyone who works in a nursing home—it can oftentimes be quite an "active" community.
This survey included 3,005 men and women. For those between the ages of 57 and 64, 73 percent engaged in sexual activity. That number declined to 53 percent for those between 65 and 74 and then down to 26 percent for those between 75 and 85 (still a good showing, if you ask me).
The reasons for those declines included lack of a mate, ongoing health issues, and just a general lack of interest. The declines were especially seen in women. One good reason for that may be that statistically a lot of women outlive men. Also, 35 percent of women reported not finding sex to be that important to them as compared with just 13 percent of men reporting the same.
This is considered a landmark study because there are so many stereotypes surrounding this topic in regard to seniors. Amazingly, those non-reality-based ideas have been taken as gospel truth—even by those who should know better: medical doctors.
And it has been a mistaken assumption for too long, if you ask me. Worse, doctors have failed to broach the subject with their patients—a serious disservice. If doctors don't bring up the subject, to whom can reticent patients open up about any potential problems they may be having in regard to it?
In fact, many of the folks surveyed felt it was the responsibility of their doctors to get the conversation rolling during an office visit.
Among those who are talking—mostly men, perhaps swayed by the plethora of virility advertisements on TV—about 14 percent of those surveyed report using performance- enhancing drugs.
But for those who reported experiencing a sexual problem, 25 percent of them also reported that they were avoiding sex altogether. And only 38 percent of men and 22 percent of women had discussed their sexual problems with their doctors.
This is unfortunate, because it indicates that these patients are not having the open discussions with their doctors that they deserve to have—and in the process, they could be overlooking a red flag. As I've told you more than once, inadequate sexual functioning can be a good indicator of other health-related problems.
We're all adults here. It's OK if you're thinking about sex and need advice—everyone thinks about it, and there's no expiration date for a healthy person to stop. And if your doctor doesn't bring it up first—I insist that you take the lead and bring it up with him. Believe me, he has heard of the "birds and the bees" before, so it won't shock him. Ask him to help you resolve any sexual issue you may be encountering. And don't let him take the easy way out by thinking that means handing you a prescription. As I recommend to you in all matters of your health—go for the stepped approach in treatment, and remember that there's nothing to be ashamed about.
