Sexuality in older adults: a deconstructionist perspective

Societal myths argue against active expression of sexuality in older adults, but these prejudices are unfounded. Using a deconstructionist framework, this article addresses issues surrounding sexuality in older adults. Implications for clinical practice are given. ********** In this article, I examine sexuality in older adults from a historical, psychological, and physiological perspective, using the deconstructionist theory to examine the meaning of such in both social and individual contexts. I conclude the article with a section on implications for clinical practice. For the purpose of this article, "older adult" is defined as an individual who is 65 years old or older. The recent onslaught of commercials for medication to treat erectile dysfunction is both beneficial and detrimental to the community of older adults. Perception of events is often shaped through the media, and such candid treatment of sexual impotence has brought the issue of sexuality in older adults to the attention of the public. However, these same commercials often feature rich, powerful, heterosexual men. Such a biased portrayal can implicitly reinforce other myths regarding sexuality in older adults, including the following: 1. Older adults are asexual or not interested in sexual relations. 2. Older adults who demonstrate an interest in sex are abnormal. 3. It is acceptable for older men to marry younger women but not for older women to marry younger men. 4. Older men who engage in sexual relationships are considered virile yet lecherous. Older women who engage in sex are considered amoral or abnormal because it is assumed they lose interest in sex after menopause. 5. Older persons should be segregated by gender in nursing homes to avoid problems for staff and criticism from family and community members (Gussaroff, 1998; Hodson & Skeen, 1994; Walz, 2002). In this article, I examine and refute these myths, showing that sexuality continues to be a vital part of life for many older adults. Although sexuality includes bisexuality, heterosexuality, homosexuality, and even asexuality, this article is intended to be a deconstructionist perspective of sexuality in older adults and is written from the heterosexual perspective for purposes of brevity and clarity. PERSPECTIVES: HISTORICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL Historical Attitudes It is important to examine historical views of sexuality in older adults in order to appreciate the current attitudes. The dearth of literature on sexuality in older adults during the past several millennia parallels the current dismissive attitudes (Hillman, 2000). Literature from that time indicates a negative view of sexuality in older adults that dismisses it as inappropriate, immoral, or impossible (Covey, 1989). During the Middle Ages, the European church decreed that sexual intercourse was solely for the purposes of procreation. Thus, individuals past the childbearing years who engaged in sexual activity were, according to the Catholic church, sinning. Those blasphemous elders who did engage in sex past menopause (for women) or past age 50 (for men) were thought to be chaining themselves to the flesh and thus preventing their ascent into heaven (Hillman, 2000). Literature of that period furthered the belief that older persons were, for the most part, physically and psychologically incapable of engaging in sexual relations. If they sought these relations, they were demeaned and dismissed as foolish or humorous. For example, in "The Merchant's Tale" from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, a 60-year-old knight seeks a young bride but is abandoned by her for a younger man. In medieval times, there was a double standard for the sexes. Older men were thought to lack the capabilities for an active sex life but gained social status or longevity if they were able to conquer a partner. On the other hand, it was considered foolish and unnatural for older women to engage in sexual relations. …