Older Brits don’t plan on their advancing years slowing them down in the bedroom, a survey suggests.
A total of 53 per cent of over-75 said they wanted to remain sexually active as they got older, the research found.
Those aged 66-to-74 had similar desires, with 51 per cent wanted to keep up amorous activities as they aged. This rose to 62 per cent among the 55-to-65s.
And far from thinking it was a cringe-worthy subject, nearly two thirds of Gen Z (61 per cent) insisted they’d still be making love into their elder years.
The findings are based on a survey of over 1,000 adults of all ages by Home Instead, a care provider.
While it may cause younger relatives to cringe most older Brits don’t plan on their advancing years slowing them down in the bedroom, a survey suggests
Stella Ralfini, a 77-year-old tantric sex expert, said the importance of a good sex life in older age couldn’t be underestimated
Men were keener on staying sexually active as they aged, with 74 per cent wanting to do so, compared to 49 per cent of women.
While sex was on the cards, fewer respondents were interested in dating as they grew older with less than half of the over 55’s stating they be interested in looking for love if they were single.
The majority across all age groups, 60 per cent, said believed remaining sexually active would help with their mental health when they get older.
Perspectives on sex were just one aspect of Home Instead’s ‘The New Ageing Index’.
A total of 66 per cent of respondents endorsed diet and exercise as a way to stay youthful with 67 per cent of the oldest surveyed saying they believed medical advances would boost lifespans further in the near future.
Additionally, 89 per cent of older Brits, those over the age of 75, want to remain physically active.
Another finding was that more people (44 per cent) were worried about ending up in a care home compared to the death of partner (36 per cent).
And 80 per cent reported that if they were to become ill then they would prefer to be treated at home.
Overall, 52 per cent of respondents said they would not trust the current social care system to look after them or their loved ones.
Commenting on the findings, Home Instead chief executive Martin Jones, claimed the survey as a whole show society needs to rethink what it expects to be elderly.
‘Old people are getting younger,’ he said. ‘By which I mean that the way people feel as they age is changing and they are increasingly keen on a lifestyle that is completely different to the traditional image of what old age means.
‘The image we may have of retirees whose horizons have shrunk to just a bit of daytime TV and a cup of tea simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
‘Age is a biological reality but it’s also a social construct. People don’t need to be limited by it in the way they once were.’
Stella Ralfini, a 77-year-old tantric sex expert, said the importance of a good sex life in older age couldn’t be underestimated.
‘It’s one of the things that keeps me feeling young,’ she said.
‘I like to see my lover twice a week and we make love every two weeks, but if we go away for a week, probably a bit more, date nights aren’t just for young people.
‘It’s still a wonderful feeling to know you’re desirable.’
However, she said there was a need for older Brits to be re-educated about what sex and intimacy can be.
‘It’s about playfulness and other ways of being able to orgasm that’s comfortable for both,’ she said.
One activity that all couples should be able to enjoy is cuddling naked together in bed.
‘You don’t have to all the things you might think, just the stroking, the tenderness,’ she said.
‘There are many ways of keeping the intimacy alive and intimacy is very important to keep older people “young”.’
And although insisting she is a fan of men, Ms Ralfini said male lovers need a particular rethink about sex at their age.
‘It would be wonderful if men in their 60s could be retrained,’ she said.
‘Men are quite attached to what’s in their trousers but they don’t quite understand enough foreplay.
‘Older men on Viagra doesn’t work for older women the last thing she wants is to be thrust at for hours.’
Sex and intimacy is known to improve the health of our heart, reduce stress and improve mental health by alleviating feelings of depression and anxiety.
The NHS and charities representing elderly Brits have long advocated that getting older doesn’t mean giving up on either pleasure or intimacy.
However, older Brits can face barriers to this, be it navigating the world of sex after the loss of a partner of many years, or seeking help for health problems that interrupt their sex lives.
For men this can be erectile dysfunction and for women coping with potential changes that come with sexual desire after the menopause which, on average, occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.
Other problems, like arthritis, aren’t sex specific but can have a drastic impact on an older person’s ability to enjoy themselves in the bedroom.
Some older Brits can be embarrassed seeking medical help for sexual problems, particularly if doing so for the first time in their lives.
However, they are urged to approach their GP with any concerns about their sexual health and medics themselves are urged not to dismiss this aspect of older people’s health.
While sexual wellbeing is considered a boon to the health of older Brits, its naturally not without risks which experts have warned elderly people can underestimate.
Official data shows pensioners aged 65 and over saw the second highest jump in STIs last year, with new cases soaring almost a fifth to 2,885.
Figures show 558 cases of gonorrhoea in this age group in 2023, a 44 per cent rise on the 387 logged in 2019.
Chlamydia rates saw a similar rise more than a third (39 per cent) to 770 last year.
Experts have previously blamed the rise of the ‘silver swipers’ for the increase with dating apps like Tinder and Hinge thought to be enabling older people to meet new sexual partners more easily than previously.
Another issue thought to be behind the rise is lack of awareness about using condoms to prevent STI transmissions with some older people ditching them due to not being concerned about unplanned pregnancies.
Source: Mail Online
