Introduction

Much of the literature on sexuality in older people focuses on sexual problems, leaving

clinicians with the impression that older adults have either dismal or non-existent sex

lives. Sex is assumed to be for the young, beautiful, able-bodied, and heterosexual. Older

people are often perceived and portrayed as post-sexual. Unfortunately, the result of these

negative perceptions is that older people themselves often hold similar self-stereotypes.

Few data are available on “normal” sexuality in older people, let alone the entire spectrum

of sexual expression including optimal sexuality (Kleinplatz, 2008; Kleinplatz et al.,

2013). Few empirical studies have been conducted on the subjective sexual experiences

of older people.