Seniors Still Sexy After All Those Years

Most of America's seniors are still sexually active and enjoying life, according to a comprehensive survey on the sexuality of older adults. More than 3,000 seniors, ages 57 to 85, confided that sex still matters to them well into their 70s and 80s. The more healthy and physically fit they were, the more it mattered.

"The majority of those surveyed said they were in some type of
relationship, and most of those had engaged in sexual activity in the previous 12 months," said Dr. Stacey Lindau, University of Chicago assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology and lead author of the report.

America's seniors are definitely holding their own. "Interestingly, the average frequency of sex among those who said they were active was two or three times a month, which is about the same reported in previous surveys of adults 18 to 59. What this suggests to us from a medical standpoint is that sexuality and sexual activity is less a function of age than a person's health status," Lindau said.

Since health does decline as people move into their 70s and 80s, the nature of sexual activity changed as people aged. Most seniors said they engaged in traditional intercourse with their partner, but reported more emphasis on cuddling, kissing and snuggling as they aged. Of seniors 75 to 85, only 38% of men and 16% of women reported sexual activity during the past year.

Enthusiasm for sex seemed to be a Mars/Venus affair. Of the men surveyed, 87% said sex was important in their lives, compared to 65% of the women. Of those who remained sexually active, half reported experiencing at least one sexual problem. For women, lack of desire was the most common complaint; for men, 37% cited erectile dysfunction.