Page 11 - Seniorstoday May 2024 Issue

efforts need to be made to re-establish period does reduce the sexual desire in
communication lines as soon as possible.
Senior sex is qualitative
Women are invariably through with
menopause in this period of life, and since
their oestrogen levels have fallen, they
experience symptoms such as vaginal
dryness, therefore taking much longer to
be aroused, with a resultant difficulty in
climaxing. Of course, artificial lubricants
can be used to easily counter this problem.
Post-menopausal abdominal weight gain
is common, and the skin shows signs
of ageing. This could affect the esteem
of those women who are focused on the
‘outer beauty’ and thus affect their sexual
life too. The ‘empty nest’ syndrome, with
children having grown up and moved
out or married with families of their own,
could leave the woman feeling a sense of
loss with a resultant depression, if her life
has mainly revolved around child-rearing.
This is when she needs gentle, loving
companionship with her spouse, and the
reassurance that she is attractive to him as
a person and loved dearly, and he wants
nothing more than to grow old with her
just the way she is. Such a reassurance
could keep the passion alive, and sexual
encounters, though infrequent, could have
the new found flavour of a relaxed intimate
touching which may or may not end up in
intercourse.
Men at this age may have problems with
their prostrate glands and other age-related
wear and tear of the body parts that affect
his sexual life. They also find it difficult
to maintain their erection long enough to
complete the sexual act. However, this can
now easily be countered with the use of
modern medications.
The reduction of testosterone during this
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #59 | MAY 2024
men and women, but the ‘hot passion’ is
replaced with a ‘warm companionship’, if
the relationship has evolved and has been
more ‘holistic’ from the beginning. Again,
it cannot be stressed enough that both
men and women should strive as much as
humanly possible to maintain a lifestyle
of appropriate exercise, healthy diet, and
emotional well-being, so that they can not
only enjoy a longer and more healthy life
generally, but can enjoy physical intimacy,
though qualitatively different, for a longer
period in their relationship.
Ways to better your sex life as a senior:
● Base your relationship on more than
each other’s body, and let sex be more than
biology i.e. a sharing and culmination of
emotional intimacy.
● Access scientific and value-based
sex education to help address all your
concerns related to sexual relating as
well as to remove misconceptions, if any,
before engaging sexually. Refrain from
pornography or taking advice from peers
who dole out misinformation.
● Recognise the ‘love language’ of the
other and make small ‘special’ gestures to
show you care.
● Remain physically and emotionally
fit, with a regular ‘fitness regime’, because
the lifestyle that keeps you generally
healthy, is the same lifestyle that keeps you
sexually healthy.
● Consciously plan ‘togetherness time’
e.g. weekend getaways or dates.
● Whisper or SMS ‘sweet nothings’ to
each other.
● Dress to feel ‘sensual’ and attractive to
yourself and your partner.
● Celebrate ‘special’ moments, plan
holidays together, and see family albums to
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