Older adults today, who have been influenced by post-war feminism and sexual permissiveness, place greater importance on sexuality in late adulthood than previous generations. However, societal ageist attitudes and a lack of knowledge in healthcare services about the sexual health in older adults create barriers to healthy sexual aging. As this population continues to grow in the coming decades, the demand for improved healthcare services in sexual health becomes increasingly urgent.
This project was developed at the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo and preceded the larger European research program “Healthy Sexual Ageing”. The primary aim was to generate basic knowledge for healthcare professionals and social care providers working with older adults. To better understand the specific needs of these age groups, the project investigated how older individuals construct, negotiate, and navigate their identities as sexual beings in aging bodies, considering the pressure to conform to ageist norms and the cultural demands of presenting themselves as socially competent and successful in aging.
A qualitative design was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 32 men and women between the age of 65 and 85 of different sexual orientations and social statuses. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis leading to three papers that focused on: (1) how early psychosexual development influences current sexual well-being, (2) older adults' experiences with healthcare personnel regarding sexual issues, and (3) how participants constructed understandings of themselves as sexual beings in aging bodies.
The results revealed both norm-confirming and paradoxical findings regarding how participants exercised sexual agency while negotiating and navigating the realities, possibilities, and limitations influenced by their unique life-trajectories. They reflected both the restricted nature of perceived and internalized ageist tendencies and a rejection of these limitations, as well as efforts to construct a self-understanding compatible with sexual well-being and sexual integrity. The discussion centered on factors that influence the development and sustainability of sexual agency in late adulthood, which is essential for healthy sexual aging.
These findings emphasize the necessity of combined efforts to enhance knowledge about sexual health among older age groups and within the healthcare system. Implementing interventions that foster individual capabilities, tailored to each person's needs and informed by their life experiences, is crucial. Furthermore, the findings underscore the importance of policies aimed at increasing the visibility of positive stereotypes regarding sexuality in late adulthood to counteract negative ageist effects within the healthcare system, the older population, and society at large.