Senior Australians Lead Risky Sex Lives

The Times Of India

Senior citizens in Australia's old-age homes and retirement facilities are leading active but risky sex lives and most of them have more than one active partner. A research in Australia, which surveyed 320 men and women, has found that sexual activity among the 82-87 age group is "reasonably common", while online dating by people over 50 was also growing.
However, experts from the Council on the Ageing say that the seniors need to be schooled in safe sex, and have called for workshops and guideline policies to be implemented into aged-care and retirement facilities to help staff deal with " promiscuous behaviour", The Age reported.

Old-age homes have reported a jump in the number of over 65s leading an active sex life, including multiple partners, and they were more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour than their children, Council spokeswoman Anne-Maire Elias said.

"They were a generation who missed out on all the safe-sex education," she said.

"We love that these older people are sexually active but, with an increase in Viagra and multiple partners, aged-care facilities should welcome safe-sex workshops for their residents."

Ken Gleeson, a behavioural consultant, who is scheduled to publish a document titled "Sexuality in the Elderly: Intimacy and Sexual Policy", said staff tended to put sexual behaviour among the elderly in the "too hard" category.

"There is a widespread belief among workers that the elderly should not be participating in sexual activities," he said.