18 Dec 2022

148

Sexual Activities and Relationships in Older Adults

Format: APA

Academic level: College

Paper type: Essay (Any Type)

Words: 1121

Pages: 2

Downloads: 0

Human sexuality is not static and varies depending on age. This could be explained regarding sexual activity and sexual desire. Usually, people tend to achieve sexual desire and agility at puberty, while the sexual urge decreases as one advance in age (DeLamater, & Sill, 2005) . The issue of sexuality is still debatable as being subjective since some people achieve high sexuality despite being older. By using a media cartoon to understand the message conveyed to analyze sexuality on older people, it is evident that when people advance into old age, their sexuality will affect the physiological, psychological, and how they relate with their partners and those around them in the society. Thus, it is prudent for the society to open up and discuss and have a clear knowledge on the sexuality among elderly people as it is vital to the life of human beings from birth to old age during their existence. 

Retrieved from: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d4/cc/28/d4cc28b2955e641ec42778f81c3791a7--people-in-love-yahoo jpg 

It’s time to jumpstart your paper!

Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.

Get custom essay

The media cartoon tries to convey a message that partners do not maintain the desire and sexual relationships in old age. The cartoon depicts an elderly partner who still wants to ignite the intimate mood in the bedroom, but because old age has caught up, there is nothing to desire about especially from the elderly man’s side. The cartoon brings a message that although human sexuality declines with age, there is still an aspect of the urge among elderly relationships. This clearly comes out as the elderly woman goes to great lengths of rocking diapers to spice and ignite the sexual urge of the man. But the elderly man doesn’t seem to be enticed by what he sees thereby thinking that it is better off if the elderly woman died rather than be embarrassed by her physical looks. Sexuality also involves matters health; this is so because as people grow old, they become prone to illness which may eventually affect their sexual life (Lindau et al., 2007) . Women might be affected by menopause while men could be affected by erectile dysfunction hence forcing most men to seek the assistance of male sexual boosters to enhance their bedroom escapades. The cartoon used shows the elderly woman to have put on diapers, this might not necessarily mean she did that for the purpose of impressing the man, but she could also be affected by old age illness such as incontinence which is usually uncontrollable. The cartoon clearly illustrates the challenges which older people go through when it comes to their sexuality. 

Physiological needs are Sexual desire is one of the physiological needs that individuals aim to achieve to feel satisfied and attain their full potential in life. Although sexual activity and desire declines with advancement in age, studies have shown some old people to be engaging in sex until their late eighties. For example in the cartoon where the woman wants to get her sexy back, meaning there was an aspect of libido in the man even in his old age (Uchino et al., 1996) . The cartoon conveys a message that aging impacts on the relationship and sexuality activity of the elderly. The cartoon shows that the emotional intimacy between the two partners is not mutual, as the woman is ready to take all measures to appeal sexually to the man, but her partner has no sexual desire since she is old, therefore, imagining her death. The cartoon conveys a physiological aspect of sexual development as the woman tells the man by wearing diapers, she was bringing sexy back. This means that sexuality wanes with age, and since the woman is now old, she resorts to wearing diapers to get the sexy looks and appeals that she had in during her younger sexual life. This is because physiological needs are vital in sexual development as they are the physical traits that signify sex thereby have a wide effect on the existence of human beings (DeLamater, & Sill, 2005) . It is a cycle that that runs from puberty into adulthood. As conveyed in the cartoon, in sexual development, physiological changes to reproductive organs of both male and women may occur with age thereby making people lose sexual appeal as they advance with age. 

Psychological aspects of sexuality are related to attitude, more of a perception, and how individuals and partners think about their sexual life. Not many partners look forward to aging, this makes them not psychologically prepared for the twist in their sexual development, behavior and the sexual urge. The media cartoon conveys a message of positivity in sexuality in relation to aging. It shows that in spite of the advancement in age, partners can still enjoy sex. It also shows that there are various ways of sexual expression in sexual development (Uchino et al., 1996) . The image shows a psychological aspect of sexual development where partners spare time, even in old age, to be together and admire each other by getting intimate. The psychological aspect that is conveyed in the cartoon is that as individuals advance with age, their sexual developments keep changing, and it is important for partners to plan in time for their sexuality in old age to avoid negative aspects which may have a psychological effect in them. 

The society is an invaluable asset in shaping the behaviors of individuals and their sexuality. There are certain aspects that can only be gotten through socializing with other individuals. These aspects include compassion, love, and knowledge among others. There are ideals the society expects individuals to adopt in their advancement with age (Lindau et al., 2007) . Sexuality in old age is not given much attention as it is more often than not assumed. The cartoon conveys a message of a couple that expresses their sexual desire and expression into their old age. For the lady to wear diapers to get her sexiness back, it shows that she still makes an effort to express her sexuality while the man desires for sex, the reason as to why the woman tries hard to appeal sexually. The partners also seem to have an effective communication as they spend time together privately to discuss sexual matters despite their advancement in age. The above cartoon exhibits lengths to which older people can go to spice up social aspects pertaining bedroom matters in the course of their sexual development and advancement in age. 

Conclusion 

It is without a doubt that aging has an adverse effect on relationships and sexual activities. Not many couples plan for their sexuality in old age thereby having an impact on their sexual life as they advance in age. This could be because the sexuality topic, especially in older people, is always avoided hence creating a vacuum that proves difficult to fill when old age knocks and having an impact in the physiological, psychological, and the social aspect of sexual development. The cartoon used depicts two elderly partners who are expressing their sexual desire, although the man doesn’t seem impressed because of the physiological effects that have taken a toll on the woman’s body. It is therefore important for individuals to discuss the sexuality topic in details as it not only shapes sexual development but also encompasses the human life. 

References 

DeLamater, J. D., & Sill, M. (2005). Sexual desire in later life.  Journal of sex research 42 (2), 138-149. 

Lindau, S. T., Schumm, L. P., Laumann, E. O., Levinson, W., O'muircheartaigh, C. A., & Waite, L. J. (2007). A study of sexuality and health among older adults in the United States.  New England Journal of Medicine 357 (8), 762-774. 

Uchino, B. N., Cacioppo, J. T., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (1996). The relationship between social support and physiological processes: a review with emphasis on underlying mechanisms and implications for health.  Psychological bulletin 119 (3), 488. 

Illustration
Cite this page

Select style:

Reference

StudyBounty. (2023, September 16). Sexual Activities and Relationships in Older Adults.
https://studybounty.com/sexual-activities-and-relationships-in-older-adults-essay

illustration

Related essays

We post free essay examples for college on a regular basis. Stay in the know!

How Unisex Fashion Trends Are Impacting Gender Equality

Introduction For the longest time in history, fashion and garment have been subjects of deep sociological, anthropological, and semiotic evaluation in the modern world. The phenomenon of fashion, which is often...

Words: 2215

Pages: 8

Views: 128

Gender (Sex) Roles in Modern Society

Also termed as sex roles, gender roles encompasses a range of attitudes and behaviors that are deemed desirable for people basing on their perceived sex. Historically the gender roles were centered on femininity and...

Words: 1332

Pages: 5

Views: 172

LGBTQIA Issues in Schools

Introduction LGBTQIA is an abbreviation that stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender. The abbreviation is an umbrella term that is typically employed in reference to the entire community of Lesbian,...

Words: 2829

Pages: 10

Views: 68

Feminist Advertisements: 10 Powerful Ads That Empower Women

Introduction Feminism is defined as the belief or perception that both men and women need to share equal opportunities and rights, politically, economically, or socially. It could also emphasize on the women’s...

Words: 2030

Pages: 7

Views: 70

How Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Develop

Introduction To understand an individual's sexual orientation, one must first understand the individual's gender identity that tentatively describes their sexual identity. People's erotic and romantic attraction...

Words: 1335

Pages: 4

Views: 127

Equality between Men and Women

The issue of gender equality is a significant ethical issue, which needs to be adequately investigated and addressed accordingly. Gender inequality is linked to human values as well as a socially constructed process...

Words: 576

Pages: 1

Views: 145

illustration

Running out of time?

Entrust your assignment to proficient writers and receive TOP-quality paper before the deadline is over.

Illustration