Internally Peer Reviewed That elderly people have a rich and varied sexual life always seems to be reported as if it is a surprise. It isn't a surprise for older people. Disability is the culprit when sexual activity decreases or stops.
Physicians often overlook elderly sexuality and the possibility of resultant disease.
Denial of sexuality in older people may be one of the most pernicious forms of discrimination against the elderly. A recent report has been made on STD in 242 elderly people, most of whom went directly to a specialist and bypassed their primary care physician. Gonorrhea, non-gonococcal urethritis, genital warts, genital herpes, trichomoniasis, and hepatitis B were all reported as well as evidence of prior syphilis. Recent sexual contacts ranged from 1 to 30. Safer sex counseling is especially important in this age group because older patients may not have had formal sex education like their younger counterparts.