SEXUALITY IN ADULT AGE

Sexuality in adult age continues to be a taboo. However, sexuality is part of the holistic well-being of the person in all stages of his life. Despite living in the 21st century, where the benefits of eternal youth are preached, retrograde attitudes that are similar to those of previous centuries are still present. These ideas tend to reject or mock, and at best ignore, the existence of sexuality in adults age needs. These needs are considered an exclusive right of people who are in the fertile years of their lives.

During all this time, a wall loaded with stereotypes, prejudices and marginalisation has been built around the sexuality in adults age. They have been denied the basic right of sexuality, forcing them to mistakenly assume that adulthood is necessarily linked to disease. This wall makes the older person stop talking about sexuality, share it with anyone and ultimately abandon it.

However, getting older does not mean suddenly losing interest in sex. We must look at sex as a fundamental and necessary right for the optimal quality of life of older adults.

SEXUAL HISTORY COUNTS

Above all, we must emphasise the importance of the previous sexual history of the individual or of the couple as one of the most relevant psychosocial factors that will influence sexuality in adulthood. The fact of having had frequent and satisfactory sexual activity during the previous stages is of great importance. It favours that sexuality in adulthood, physiological capacities remain high and that people have motivations to carry out said behaviours and abilities.

Since sexuality is intrinsically related to our biology, personality, environment and biography, we must understand and accept the fact that sexuality varies during the different stages of our life. In many cases, it will depend on the circumstances and the individual’s physical, mental and emotional health. In fact, people who maintain good health will be able to maintain active sexuality in adulthood. Therefore, we must emphasise the premise that enjoying good health is the key to enjoying sexuality to the fullest. Taking care of oneself, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, not drinking alcohol, not smoking, and attending routine check-ups are essential.

It is true that sexuality in adulthood has some common characteristics. In this stage there are changes both at a vital and biological level that will affect the experience of sexuality. The sexual response can undergo several biological changes. The absence of sexual desire, the need for greater intensity and variability of stimuli to trigger the response, decreased vaginal lubrication or erection turgor along with changes in orgasmic sensations.

WAYS OF LIVING SEXUALITY IN ADULT AGE

It is important that we understand that, there are many ways to experience sexuality in adults age. We must begin with the demystification of intercourse-centrism giving equal or greater relevance to other practices within sexuality such as:

• Physical contact; hugs, caresses, slow or fast kisses that are necessary to keep the passion alive.
• Alternating the erotic game and asking what you want the couple to do, always with respect, prior desire and consent.
• Sharing time with the couple, practicing leisure activities.
• Encouraging positive communication, including issues related to sexuality.
• Cultivating self-knowledge of the body, desire and intimacy.
• Generating spaces of intimacy and reunion.
• Including erotic toys in sexual practice, such as masturbators that do not require stimulation of the penis to trigger the process of ejaculation and orgasm. High power vibrators that can stimulate the clitoris with more force to improve the orgasmic response.

We must, once and for all, make society understand that we are all sexual and sexed beings throughout our lives, from intrauterine life to death and that it is an intrinsic part of the holistic well-being of the human being and therefore We must give it the importance and the place it requires in our life regardless of the stage in which we find ourselves, including sexuality in adult age.