Sexual health and the new ageing

Whilst later-life sexual health issues have typically been afforded low priority in policy, practice and research, a sociocultural shift in attitudes to sexuality and ageing is challenging the traditional stereotype of the ‘asexual old age’. Indeed, the contemporary view of celibacy as the ‘new deviancy’ [1] has extended into later life to the extent that ‘lifelong sexual function...[has come to be seen as] a primary component of achieving successful ageing in general’ [2, 3]. Key factors underpinning this shift include the increasing medicalisation of sexuality and a cohort change in later-life sexual attitudes and behaviours. It has been argued that the baby-boomer generation who are now entering later life are confounding expectations of what it means to be ‘old’ [4], and this is particularly apparent in relation to sexuality. For example, later-life divorce and re-marriage rates are increasing steadily [5], and there is a growing trend of intimate but non-cohabiting relationships amongst older people [6]. Greater social and legal recognition has been afforded to non-heterosexual lifestyles [7], and older lesbians and gay men are more open about their sexual identity. A new industry is being built up around providing dating services for older people and advice on forming new intimate relationships in later life is now being given by organisations such as Age Concern (http://www.ageconcern.org.uk). Even more tellingly, rates of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, are rising rapidly amongst people over 50 years of age, with 6% of female AIDS diagnoses and 12% of male AIDS diagnoses now in this age group [8].