Abstract
Clinical studies during the past 20 years concerning the preservation of sexual activity as part of vigorous aging have confirmed that there not only is no specific age at which sexual activity must necessarily end, but that many individuals continue active sex lives into their 7th, 8th, and even 9th decades. In fact, study subjects who are 60-90 years of age engage in sexual relations with a variable frequency that extends from once every other month to three times per week. This proves to be more a function of how much sexual activity existed in early adulthood, as well as the availability of a willing partner and the state of one’s physical health. Conversely, if sex has never been important nor particularly enjoyed, the aging process can even provide a convenient excuse for giving up sexual activity if this is desired. Recent studies by George and Weiler1 have shown that despite older data suggesting a decline in sexual activity in the last half of adulthood, levels of sexual activity remain more stable over time than has been previously appreciated.
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© 1984 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.
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Labby, D.H. (1984). Sexuality. In: Cassel, C.K., Walsh, J.R. (eds) Geriatric Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5232-0_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-5232-0_14
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