Acceptability of Sexual Relationships Between Elderly People Residing in Nursing Homes

Abstract

The overall level of acceptability expressed by French people aged 18-84 years regarding sexual relationships among elderly persons was examined as well as the effect on acceptability of four factors: partners' age, marital status, duration of the relationship, and privacy. Four hundred and twenty seven participants were presented with 36 vignettes of a few lines that were composed according to a four within-subject factor design. A cluster analysis revealed three basic philosophies regarding acceptability of sexual relationships. For most participants, sexual relationships were always considered as acceptable. In other words, their acceptability was not conditioned by the concrete circumstances (in the nursing home) or the social circumstances (partners' marital status) in which they take place. For a minority of participants (18%), acceptability was strictly conditioned on the concrete condition of privacy in which they take place, and for another minority of participants (25%), it was conditioned on two factors: privacy, as in the preceding cluster, and marital status. Probably for most people in France, sexual relationships are considered a human right, and nursing institutions are expected to adapt to the sexual needs of elderly people, and not the reverse.

Public Attitudes Toward Sexual Expression in Long-Term Care: Does Context Matter?

“…Although increasing age does not directly preclude sexual desire (Esterle, Sastre, & Mullet, 2011; Kontula & Haavio-Mannila, 2009), it is reported to be a statistical predictor of sexual inactivity among older, married adults (Karraker & DeLamater, 2013). Additional research has shown that the frequency and type of sexual behavior changes as people age across the life span (Elias & Ryan, 2011; Ginsberg, Pomerantz, & Kramer-Feeley, 2005; Katz, 2013).…”

Acceptability of Sexual Relationships Among People with Learning Disabilities: Family and Professional Caregivers’ Views in Mexico

“…In view of these findings, we expected to find at least three different philosophies regarding the acceptability of sexual relationship among PLD: (a) an ''always acceptable'' philosophy, comparable to the one found in Esterle et al [20] study, (b) a ''never acceptable'' philosophy, that should reflect the viewpoint of Mexican people who are older and/or more religiously oriented, and (c) a ''depending on circumstances'' philosophy that should reflect the viewpoint of the majority of the participants, as in the study by Morales et al [12]. In the subsample of family caregivers, 25 of them were parents of PLD suffering from Down syndrome and 50 of them were parents of PLD suffering from a neuromotor disorder.…”

“…Using a Q-sort technique, they distinguished four different philosophies: advocates of sex education, supporters of sex education, regulators and humanists. Esterle, Munoz Sastre and Mullet [20] in a study about elderly people's sexuality, showed that three qualitatively different philosophies coexisted among lay people.…”

Public Perspectives Toward the Sexual Behavior of an Individual With Dementia Residing in Long-Term Care

“…Sexuality is a fundamental component of life from birth until death, and healthy intimate relationships are essential to overall well-being throughout the life span (Esterle, Sastre, & Mullet, 2011; Sumter, Valkenburg, & Peter, 2013; Thompson et al, 2011; Zeiss & Kasl-Godley, 2001). Although the frequency of sexual behavior declines with age (DeLamater & Moorman, 2007), the intrinsic desire for meaningful intimate relationships remains and is not thwarted by admission to a long-term care (LTC) facility (Di Napoli, Breland, & Allen, 2013; Elias & Ryan, 2011; Katz, 2013; Reingold & Burros, 2004).…”