Invisible desires: Addressing sexuality, intimacy, and ageism in older adults

Abstract

In modern society, fulfilling personal life and goals related to personal and professional depends on society, sexuality,
intimacy, and sexual identities-all of which are crucially acknowledged as fundamental human rights and needs.
Older people have not always been acknowledged in literature or discussions of these issues, and sexuality has
generally been taboo. These silences are further rooted in many areas of social policy and practice related to ageing
support, reflecting the broader invisibility of older people in various aspects of society. The present article focuses on
sexuality and ageism, exploring how ageing affects sexual health and the factors that play a significant role in this
process. This article also aims to integrate different theoretical perspectives on sexual health and ageing and
contribute to breaking the stigma surrounding these issues. Search databases, such as Elsevier, PMC Database, Wiley and
Sons, Springer, Google Scholar, etc., were used to extract a total of 13 studies which were included in the final review.
People reported fewer sexual problems and valued sex more when they had fewer ageist sexual preconceptions in their
minds. This study reviews studies from various cultures with a particular emphasis on South Asian culture. It explores
dominant discourses surrounding sexuality, intimacy, and sexual identities in later life. Drawing on a range of secondary
literature, it examines the various positions and contexts that shape the “practice” of sexuality in older
adulthood. Despite increased public exposure, society remains deeply preoccupied with beliefs about what
constitutes “normal” or “appropriate” sexual behaviour for older individuals. Sexuality in later
life is primarily addressed from a biomedical perspective, which assumes a natural decline in
sexual functioning that requires medical treatment. Other key issues and persistent myths surrounding
older people’s sexuality include the belief that 20 sexual desire diminishes with age and the
perception that older people are physically unattractive or undesirable, particularly in relation
to gender.

The popular notion is that it is shameful or inappropriate for older adults to engage in sexual
activity and that there is no older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Inter sex
(LGBTQ&I) community. This article investigates how ageism is shaped by attitudes promoted by the
media, perceptions held by younger people about sexuality in later life, older adults’ views of their
sexuality, and the attitudes of those who provide care services. The results suggested that ageist
stereotypes significantly impact older adults’ sexual well-being. It has been concluded that when
individuals have a positive perception of ageism, and they do not entertain ageist sexual
misconceptions, they value ‘sex’ in their lives. The training programs for healthcare providers and
policies for the ageing population should include education on the impacts of ageism and their needs
and sexual health education.