Improving Sexual Health in the Later Stages of Life

Human Sexuality
Name
Institution
Due Date
Human Sexuality
Introduction
Sex drive has a natural progression in all humans. It tends to diminish as the individual ages, mainly because of chronic illnesses that decrease libido. This is even though sex has been proven to be important to help senior citizens lead better-quality lives. However, sex can help senior citizens more vibrant and lead more fulfilling lives. Many factors affect sexual drive in older people, mostly related to the psychological, physical and social changes. In this essay, I will examine the physical, psychological and social factors that lead to diminished sexual drive and steps that can be taken to reverse the trend.
Challenges faced by the elderly
Physical
As an individual age, their bodies tend to be less flexible, diminished immunity and more susceptible to chronic illness. In most people, the bodies are the main hurdle that prevents them from enjoying sex more frequently. Most senior citizens are under medication of some sort, and this affects their sexual drive. Most chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart diseases, etc. become the main challenge to enjoying sex. The bodies are no longer energetic to withstand the medication and still engage in sex which is energy draining. Thus, most couples tend to have less sex.
As humans age, their bodies become less vibrant, flexible and energetic. As people age, their bodies change. The bodies have less tissue, and their bodies become less attractive. Most women fell their bodies have become ‘uglier,’ and hence they shy away from sex. The vaginal lubrication also tends to reduce in older women, and the walls become thinner and stiffer Kalra, G., Subramanyam, A., & Pinto, C. (2011). Their breasts sag and accumulate more abdominal fat. Men, on the other hand, tend to fear the disappointments of poor sexual drive caused by erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, etc. Men can also experience longer periods to achieve complete arousal. These are problems that are inevitable because of the nature of human bodies, and senior citizens tend to have sex altogether to avoid the embarrassment of the performance of their bodies.
Psychological
As noted above, most old people suffer from varied illnesses, and they tend to affect their mental health. Poor mental health leads to low sex drive while sex could help to process the mental pain caused by their deteriorating health. When the older people are under medication or perform subpar of their expected and former capacity and abilities, they are mentally disturbed, and this could lead to less frequency of having sex. Other issues that can potentially cause low sex drive are economic especially if the couple grapple has not saved enough for retirement. If the individual grapples with economic hardship in the face of deteriorating energy such that they cannot work anymore, their sex drive can be adversely affected.
Some people also lose partners in the course of their lives and thus they have less sex because of widowhood. Additionally, they may find it difficult to form strong emotional bonds with another partner which affects their sexual life. The physical problems noted above also affect the psychological health of older pe...