Late Life Love and Intimacy

Aging is a complex process that involves factors such as cultural, ethnic, and gender differences and is unique to each individual. Love, sexual intimacy, and sexuality are characteristics that help define individuals and often contribute to how well they will continue to live and age. Enhanced knowledge and healthy attitudes about sexual needs and feelings of older adults living in the community or in long term care settings may help to dispel negative myths, stereotypes, and self-fulfilling attitudes in older adults and in the general public. This awareness will support the perception that full sexual expression is part of the entire extent of adulthood.