Dancing in-or out-of-step? Sexual and intimate relationships among heterosexual couples living with Alzheimer’s disease

Abstract

This chapter discusses experiences of sexual and intimate relationships among people with Alzheimer’s disease themselves and their partners. The aim was to go beyond narrow conceptualisations of sexuality among people with dementia as either non-existing or problematic, which are often reflected in both the scientific literature and practice, and instead explore the complex meaning-making on sexuality among couples. The chapter draws on a qualitative interview study with persons who were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and partners of a person with Alzheimer’s disease, aged 55-87. The chapter focuses on the themes of responsibility, reciprocity and recognition and argues that the sexual and intimate relationship must be understood in relation to the influence of dementia on the relationship overall. Gender was of particular significance to experiences of sexuality and intimacy among participants. Gendered inequalities in the past and present had a significant impact on how women experienced the sexual and intimate relationship and the emergence of their sexual subjectivities.