Many studies confirm that sexual health is not only a reflection of good health, in general, but actively contributes to its maintenance. In a 1969 publication entitled Everything You Wanted to Know about Sex, Reuben claimed that as estrogen is shut off, a woman becomes as close as she can to being a man . Having outlived their ovaries, they have outlived their usefulness as human beings . We live in a culture where sex is predominately defined as the preserve of youth and where the sexual experiences of the middle aged and elderly continue to be clouded in restrictive myths and prejudice. Countering these myths is difficult.
Society has an ambivalent attitude to knowing about sexual mores.
On the one hand there is a belief that sexual behaviour is a private matter best kept behind closed doors. On the other hand there is recognition that sexuality is an important part of a healthy life for people of all ages and that sexual health requires active promotion. However, the knowledge base for sexual education of the elderly is relatively underdeveloped. Differences between individuals widen as they age, making the task of generalisation even harder. The recommendations that follow are designed to integrate what is known about sexuality and the older woman into current health policies and to expand our knowledge base in this vital area.