Older people living in long-term care: no place for old sex?

Abstract

This chapter addresses barriers that older people living in long-term care facilities (L-TCF) have to face to express openly their sexual needs and maintain their rights to a sexual/erotic life. It examines research regarding three kinds of barrier: social attitudes toward sexuality in older age; organizational culture and models of care prevalent in L-TCF; and staff attitudes influencing practices and relations with older people living in L-TCF. The chapter also draws attention to how certain social groups, such as people living with a dementia, and those identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans face particular problems in relation to the expression of sexual needs. The chapter concludes by considering interventions aimed at improving such challenging situations, among them reinforcing staff development and training on sexual issues, developing formal and clear institutional guidelines on sexuality and the need to abandon a task-oriented model of care in favour of person-centred care models.