Satisfaction doesn't get old
It's as fun and important at 70 as it is at 45, according to a new survey of sex among adults. Racy talk on the phone and erotic E-mails are common. And, oh yes: Good health and new drugs help a lot.
AARP, the organization representing older Americans, recently polled nearly 1,700 men and women, ages 45 and over, about their sex lives. Among those with a partner—married or otherwise—49 percent say they have intercourse at least once per week. And the number of people who say they are "extremely satisfied" with their sex lives doesn't change much with age. Among men ages 45 to 49, it's 18 percent; among men ages 70 and older, it's 17 percent. Among women, for ages 45 to 49, it's 26 percent; and for ages 70-plus, it's 25 percent. For those who are "extremely dissatisfied"? Among men of all ages, that's 6 percent; for women, it's 5 percent.
Almost a third of men said they would be happier with their sex lives if they were healthier; 23 percent said their partner's improved health would help with sexual satisfaction. The numbers were lower among women: Nineteen percent said they'd benefit from better health, and 20 percent said they'd benefit from a healthier partner.
Nearly a quarter of the men said they'd tried a drug or other treatment—like Viagra or Cialis—to enhance their potency. Most of those who tried were pleased with the results: Sixty-eight percent reported an increase in sexual satisfaction. (Low testosterone in midlife, sometimes known as "male menopause," has enticed many men to try supplements of the hormone, but many endocrinologists warn against this, as it can increase the risk of prostate cancer.) Their partners were also pleased, reporting more satisfaction as well as more frequent sexual activity. It seems that no matter what the age, where there's a will there's a way.
advertisement
