Study: Many Seniors Have Rich Sex Lives

New Study Shows That Men And Women Are Enjoying Sex Well Into Their 80s

(CBS/AP)  Many doctors are embarrassed to bring it up, and some may not know how to treat sexual dysfunction, said Dr. Alison Moore, a geriatrics specialist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who had no role in the study.

"Even among geriatricians, there can be an age bias that this is not as big a deal as some of the other things they come into us for," like heart problems or dementia, Moore said. "It gets lost in the shuffle."

The National Opinion Research Center, a university-affiliated private research firm, did the surveys in people's homes. Laumann, its chairman, has received research support from Pfizer Inc., the maker of Viagra.

Hundreds of questions were asked face to face; others, like the number of lifetime sex partners and frequency of masturbation, were asked in a questionnaire, and 84 percent of those were completed.

Most participants were married. But by the time they were 75 to 85, only 37 percent of women had spouses compared to 71 percent of men. Roughly 10 percent of those in the survey were black and more than 6 percent were Hispanic.

The proportion of each gender reporting giving and receiving oral sex "matched up perfectly," Lindau said. "This gives us pretty good reassurance that men and women are telling the same story."

Older people were generally sexually conservative. A small minority had more than one partner, and very few said they paid for sex.

Researchers also used state-of-the-art technology and products donated by several companies to test people's senses. Taste strips were used to see if people could distinguish between various tastes (sour, salty). Special devices were used to test the ability to smell certain scents, including a suspected pheromone — a smell thought to evoke sexual responses.

Scents and tastes "get under the skin to influence biology," and scientists wanted to know whether these senses diminish as people age, Lindau explained.

Niels Teunis, an anthropologist and researcher at the Institute of Sexuality, Social Inequality, and Health at San Francisco State University, said the survey bolsters the "use it or lose it" factor seen in previous studies.

"If you are doing it, you keep doing it. If you slack off in marriage like when you're in your 40s, it's hard to pick it up when you are older," he said.

Jack Menager, 83, and his wife, Elizabeth, 84, agree. The suburban Los Angeles couple say they have had a good sex life for nearly 60 years.

"It gives a person relief on any burdens or problems. It makes us forget everything — escape," he said, admitting that as physical endurance wanes "you have to work at it harder."

The couple takes twice daily walks, drinks wine in moderation and talks a lot, said his wife.

"I think it's important," she said of sex. "It just makes you feel close."

More men than women felt that way. Only 13 percent of men but 35 percent of women said sex was "not at all important."

Menopause has a big effect on women, and the drop-off of estrogen makes many of them less interested in sex, Dr. John Bancroft of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University wrote in an accompanying editorial.

But menopause also means women no longer have to worry about getting pregnant, and many have more time and feel freer after children are gone, notes Westheimer, the sex adviser.

At age 79, she said, "I don't ever answer personal questions" about sex. But she added, "I certainly have a zest for life."

[erasmus6]

oops I forgot the censors. The *** word is s-e-x.

[erasmus6]

I live in Canada and there used to be this show on called the "Sunday Night *** Show" or something. It was hosted by this Sue Johannson?, not sure of the last name. I''m not sure how old she was but I think she was probably in her sixties at least. Anyways you could phone in and ask her any questions about ***. I have never seen anything so funny in my life. She just didn''t look like the type to sit and talk about ***. And you wouldn''t believe some of the questions. She had Barbie and Ken dolls so she could describe different positions and stuff and during the show she would tell about good books to read on certain subjects and she had a treasure box where each week she would have different *** toys in it. Everybody loved her, she was so funny! Just thought I would share this story.:)

[actornaught]

Women don''t even know what to do with it until after 40...

[actornaught]

Women don''t even know what to do with it until after 40...

[olebd]

Dang-blastit! I was censored again. But why?

[consciousnes]

Well, I''ll be 64 in a couple weeks and I don''t see any reason to stop now or in the forseeable future. In fact, in about 40 years I hope there will be someone around that is still willing!!!!!!

[mike71067]

"Bravo that the New England Journal of Medicine is publishing something like that. It''s about time," said Ruth Westheimer, better known as sexpert Dr. Ruth, who has long counseled seniors on ***.


Ok, I understand that she is a famous sexx therapist and all, but seriously, when do you think was the last time she''s ever seen a man''s peeenis?

[extremophil]

So that''s why Granny and Granpa never answer the phone (!)

[barbaraf4]

"You ever accidently see two old people do the wild thing ?

It''''s one of the most disgusting sights not meant for human eyes that you''''ll ever accidently see."

Posted by karlagolay at 08:54
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Maturity" (ie. Old Age) sneaks up on you when you are living your life. One day you wake up and and you don''t recognize the person in the bathroom mirror. You say 40 is the drop off point, well at 40, if you are lucky, you still have at least another 40 years to live. Do you plan to lock yourself in a closet and apologize for how you look, or are you planning to stay active (sexually and otherwise)? This all happens with lightening speed, so take care of your health and save for your retirement. You are old longer than you are young.

[rushman71]

Some of the comments that I have read are pathetic. They show no appreciation for the way we live our lives. Think about it: in the past, when a man and woman were young in life, their se xual desires were strong. But in most cases, after they reached a certain age, after having kids, experiencing personal conflicts, and the big ED thing, the se x life begins to fade away.
But thanks to todays technology in science and medicine, men can once again stand on top of the hill, banging their fists on their manly chests, screaming Tarzans call to the wild!!! The pride has arisen!!! Men can feel young again!!! Which dramatically helps within the relationship with their wives. Man, I wonder what life here in America would be like today if Viagra was invented 100 years ago? Or better yet, Cialis?

[infidel_us]

Too much info........ :)

[starleo146]

Posted by karlagolay at 08:54 PM : Aug 22, 2007

It doesn''t matter how your body has changed as you get older,beauty is in the eye of the beholder and everyone is going to get old and yes I try not to look too long at my profile in the mirror what I try to do is take each day and make it a better day irregardless of the way the world is going. You see when you get older you have a greater appreciation of life and know every day it is getting shorter so take your spouse or your lover and let him or her know they are the most important thing to you and your day will be a blessed day so all you young folks who think you have all the answers on *** you do not know anything except you look good having ***.

[killtheliars]

I really needed to see that headline as I am about to eat breakfast.

[erasmus6]

"I don''t care about old folks *** lifes." posted by mcv57

No? Well what about when you get old? Or do you think that you will be the first to escape old age?

[linfinster]

For all you who seem to be grossed out by seniors having sexx, you lack to intelligence to truly understand that actual concept of sexx. Wow! Are you missing out!! If you''re married, I pity your spouse!

[actornaught]

Where are the jihadists here? I thought they liked those 72-year-old virgins?

[indivthinker]

Well, you kind of have to feel happy for the old *** machines... after all, that gives me hope for when I am a senior (in four decades).

And for all of you making fun of this article because it talks about seniors, we will one day be seniors ourselves.

[tnt1954]

as a great-grandpa for peace at age 56, some
start in young making the young, as soon
as the sap begins to run, its nice to grow
old gracefully. a lotta of people over
the age of 50 have hiv etc and all sorts
of other venereal diseases. what is really
ill is they hit on all the young members
of both sexes. they don''t stay just in
their own age group. they''re like dirty old
men or dirty old ladies. a lotta them are
senile and don''t even know it. a lotta them
get swindled on sites like senior friend finders
by younger people posing as older. they rock
the cradle. i call it senile friend finders.
it is kinda disgusting, *** grandpa and ***
grandma and even more yecchy!! *** great grandma and great grandpa. we have passed the baton
to generation y, theirs is to reason why, not
just do and die. we''re just benchwarmers now.
good luck generation x,y and z and then a
we hope. we''re history.

[redgreen68]

I don''''t care about old folks *** lifes.
Posted by mcv57 at 09:50 PM : Aug 22, 2007

If you don''t care about this, then why did you read the article??? You make no sense to me. If you are not interested, then don''t read it. No one forced the article down your throat. Could you not understand the title of the article? It clearly gave you a clue as to what would follow. Seems like maybe you were just looking for a story to masturbate to. LOL

[djatdfw]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I laughed myself silly.