Late‐Life Sexuality

Abstract

The failure of scientists to define what they mean by “sexuality,” “sexual behavior,” or “late life” when designing studies or publishing their results complicates attempts to compare research findings within older age groups and across societies and sociocultural environments. Still, research across the globe confirms that sex and sexuality are a normal and valued part of human existence at any age and that many older persons remain sexually active throughout life. Nonetheless, sexual expression and sex in late adulthood too often are challenged by the lack of a sexual partner, age‐related physical decline, insufficient privacy, concerns about sexually transmitted diseases, and stereotypic age norms that characterize late‐life sex as humorous and untoward. Medical and technological innovations since the 1990s, including sexual enhancement drugs, Internet dating sites, phone apps to locate partners, and medical treatment that reduces risk of HIV transmission, have helped to partly mitigate such hindrances.