Page 33 - Seniorstoday June 2024 Issue
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on regular exercise regime and back to all focuses on them as the future! These are
your usual physical activities - at home facts. However, despite progressive ageing,
and at the work place and if you are feeling you’re well within your right to fully
comfortable and healthy, there is no reason understand and are fully responsible for the
for you to hold yourself back in sex. fulfilment of your needs.
Most people are sexually active
Q: I am 60 and my desire for sex has throughout their lives. The active period
diminished over time. My wife, who is varies from person to person and at some
55, also doesn’t feel like being sexually point for everyone, their sex drive begins to
active any more. We both have no diminish.
complaints about this state of affairs. If you and your wife are truly satisfied
After all, we have enjoyed sex for 34 with your current level of physical
years of our married life. However, intimacy, there is no need to compare
when I read questions asked by people yourself with others. That’s not being
elder to us about sex, I start wondering fair to yourself. Everyone is differently
if we are ‘abnormal’ in some way? Or is constituted. Let nature take its course and
their desire for sex at their senior age shed the presuppositions. Life always finds
‘abnormal’? I’m confused. a way forward.
A: Every sexual being is unique and
incomparable. The period during which
one’s sexual drive increases, peaks and Q: I am 69. I had my prostate removed 7
decreases, varies from person to person. months back. Since then, I have found
Only you know your body and understand that I do not get an erection at all when I
all its needs. It’s alright if you don’t wish am sexually excited. I really want to have
to engage in the sexual act. Nothing wrong sex with my wife. I was also detected with
with that. Not engaging sexually does two partial coronary artery blocks. I feel
not negatively impact upon your sexual like my health is getting compromised.
capability, health or your longevity. Will Viagra or Levitra help me?
Several people assume that their sex life A: A prostate removal surgery such
is all over at 50 and resign themselves to a as a “radical prostatectomy” can cause
sexless destiny. injury to the pelvic nerves resulting into
This gets further fuelled by ageist jokes, neurogenic erectile dysfunction. The
folklore and sometimes even cultural incidence of erectile dysfunction after
norms. Ever heard of the phenomenon radical prostatectomy depends on whether
whereby an older lady gets ridiculed a “nerve-sparing” surgical procedure was
for being dressed glamorously or performed or not. Reported rates of erectile
provocatively? dysfunction after bilateral nerve-sparing
Also, a lot of consumer marketing and radical prostatectomy range from 18 to 82%.
communication is geared towards the youth Other factors related to disease or surgery
as they are a lucrative upwardly mobile can also affect erectile function.
marketing segment that makes to target You said that you are over 69 and have
– for services and products to be able to partial blockage of coronary arteries. In
hawk their ware. The media and society that case, you may be either already on
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #60 | JUNE 2024 33
