Life Is Great

Age is no bar

What is relevant to our topic is that the response pattern at any age is much the same. The oldest male study was on an 89-year-old and the oldest female subject was 78 years old. They concluded, "There is every reason to believe that maintained regularity of sexual expression coupled with adequate physical well-being and a healthy mental orientation to the aging process will combine to provide a sexually stimulating climate within a marriage. This climate will in turn improve sexual tension and provide a capacity for sexual performance that frequently may extend to and beyond the 80 years age level."

Social Myths

Some people believe that an old man can never satisfy the sexual needs of a young woman. This is not true. There could be many problems due to generation gap outside the bed, but their sex life could be fairly satisfactory. What they may lose in quantity would be more than made up in quality.

It must, however, be agreed that many of the myths are not without some basis. For many couples in the middle years, sex becomes just what the social myths predict – a routine unchanging and less frequent act, done because it is expected. Gradually, many couples opt out of sex or get stuck into a rut.

Towards many more exciting years
What can a couple entering the middle years do to prevent the zest and enjoyment from going out of their sex life?

Obviously, the first and most important thing is to abandon the assumption that age automatically entails a drop in sexual activity. The couple's interest in sex declines because they expect it to decline.

The female partner must be willing to express her sexual desire. One of the most common problems involves the question of which partner should initiate sexual interaction.

Overindulgence in food and drink and mental and physical fatigue are common at this period of life, which can affect both general health as well as sexual well-being. They must be minimized.

Any activity that becomes routine, standardized and predictable eventually loses its appeal. Obviously not every sexual encounter with the same partner can be a totally novel experience, but allowing yourself to act on your spontaneous impulses and introducing new and unexpected elements into sexual relationships is important.

Lack of communication is a very common point in couples who feel that their marriage has become stale and unstimulating. One of the major impediments to open communication about sex is that couples often lack a sexual vocabulary that they are comfortable with and are unable to express themselves clearly.


Age has its effects

Be in touch

Of course all this does not mean that aging has no effect at all on sexual desire and sexual performance in males and females. There is a proper age for everything. A cricketer may be too old at 35/36 and an athlete at 25/26, so far as competitive sport is concerned but they can all play their part when they play in their own age group. A senior citizen may not be able to run a few rounds in a park, but he can certainly walk and yes he may even be able to do it if he has kept himself fit enough and in touch.


Diseases effects :

Old age brings with it some diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, though they may occur at younger age as well. In both these conditions sexual performance may get affected, if not by the disease itself, the drugs used in their treatment may. Arthritis and joint pains common in the elderly will certainly make sexual activity painful, resulting in avoiding it totally or in minimizing it. Heart attacks per se should not result in sexual abstinence, but out of fear of a `coital coronary', both partners may decide to give sex a go-by. Conditions like a stroke or neurological disorders of old age will most certainly put an end to sex life in most cases. General debility and senile dementia will also have a similar effect. Degenerative changes as a result of hormonal deficiency in the post-menopausal period may make sex tiring, painful and unrewarding in some individuals.