Does sex matter for seniors?
Dear Dr. Fritz,
I hope this finds you well. I am Odette. I am living with my grandparents for a year now, as my parents have to leave me with them for they are abroad making a living. But, sometimes, I can still feel that they are still into sex. I really feel it yucky. They are already almost in their 70’s. I just don’t have the nerve to tell them the disgust that I feel whenever they would talk about tweetums and all. But, I know that they can sense from how my face looks like when they are talking about it. Can they just abandon the thought of it? After all, they are already old. They even have grandchildren. We are 30 all in all.
I know I sound nasty. But, that is just how I feel. Is their something wrong about me? Thanks for your time.
Nasty Odette
Dear Nasty Odette,
Well, at least, you know you are being nasty... hehe. I understand how you feel. I also have that feeling before I had my PhD in Human Sexuality. I think this is just normal if you grew up in a world where there is a lot of sexual negativity. I surmise that your parents did not allow any sexual topics or issues in the house. Or if, their is any talk about it, they will dismiss it right away, just like a dirty shit or a waste lying around the corners of the house. This might be the reason why you feel yucky about sex for your grannies. I can’t blame you for that. You have to move on past those negativities. You are better than that.
But, if you think that they should abandon their sexual lives because they are already old, then, you are awfully wrong. As a matter of fact, a new survey that was conducted in the University of Michigan showed that 40 percent of older Americans still have sex, while 54 percent of older couples still do it. Moreover, 61 percent say that sex matters for their quality of life and 73 percent of those aged 65 to 80 are satisfied with their sex lives.
The truth is, sex is still an important part of many older adults' lives and aging spells do not certainly end the magic of romance.
Oh, oh, I would have wanted to start now for the in-depth discussion, but, since we are running of space for now, so, let me then, continue this in my next issue. Until then!
Dr. Fritz
(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, “Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz.” She is also a faculty in a College of Pharmacy. For your questions, you may send them to Dear Dr. Fritz, c/o Sunstar-Davao Publishing Inc., Ebro-Pelayo Building, Jacinto St., Davao City, (former Department of Foreign Affairs office), across Ateneo de Davao University and beside Holy Child School of Davao, or you e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don’t wish your letter to be published, we regret that we can not answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)