Age is just a number.
New research suggests that older people should be encouraged to have sex.
The University of Sheffield’s Sexual Rights Charter has developed new training that aims to minimize the stigma that surrounds seniors and sex.
Older adults are more likely to experience discrimination when it comes to sexual health and well-being, such as not being taken seriously when bringing difficulties to medical professionals, the study found.
They also have trouble managing sexual expression in nursing homes due to a lack of privacy and staff attitudes.
The UK’s first Sexual Rights Charter was designed to encourage discussions surrounding sex in order to provide proper support to older adults.
“In adult social care, it is important to have an open culture towards sexuality so the charter helps create that,” Professor Sharron Hinchliff, lead researcher on the project and professor of psychology and health at the University’s School of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery, said in a statement.
“The resources we are developing will be a key step in giving care home staff the guidance and understanding they need to better support residents,” she continued, noting that the information would treat seniors “with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
“We’re also exploring ways to expand the literature in terms of transgender and diverse sexual identities to make the charter even more inclusive.”
The charter was created by researchers at the University’s Healthy Lifespan Institute in collaboration with Age-friendly Sheffield and launched in 2022 to “break down barriers” and “help tackle the silence.”
Now, it’s being used to co-design, develop and roll out training to more than 60 UK care homes, with the hope that the training will be officially established in facilities later this year.
“This piece of work will help older adults living in care homes across the city and region to live the lives they want to, and this is great to see,” said Councillor Angela Argenzio, chair of the Adult Health and Social Care Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council.
When asked if they learned anything during training, an anonymous attendee shared: “It has given me confidence in understanding what problems are and why — and how to approach it with patients, and where to signpost.”