Passion throughout a lifetime: Sexuality and ageism

The advent of the Silver Tsunami will challenge perceptions about human sexuality and aging in today’s youth oriented society. Photo: MSN Image Library

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The advent of the Silver Tsunami will challenge perceptions about human sexuality and aging in today’s youth oriented society.

10,000 Americans turn 65 each day, resulting in an unprecedented population of older adults in the US.

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According to the National Register of Health Service Psychologists, “One out of every six Americans will be over the age of 65 by the year 2020. In the case of older adults and sexuality, older people are stereotyped as being non-sexual beings who should not, cannot, and do not want to have sex.”

Ageism is “the stereotyping of and discrimination against people simply because of their age,” according to the 2013 Older Adult Sexuality Reference on SeniorSex.org. But it may soon become a stigma of the past.

Our society will be forced to accommodate vast demographic, economic, political and social phenomena, including coming to terms with the fundamental human need of older adults for intimacy.

People who are married have greater frequency of sex than those who are single. WebMD.com, in a 2008 report, highlighted the following statistics: