Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Human sexuality in older people
Human sexuality in older people
Human sexuality in older people
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Human sexuality in older people
Negative cultural attitudes continue to also attribute to the notion that older people are sexless impairing the idea that one could have enjoyable sex later in life (Deacon, Minichiello, & Plummer, 1995). Gerontological research has been able to show that having positive attitudes and being knowledgeable towards a person’s sexuality influences a more positive sexual experience in later life. Deacon et al. (1995) reviewed psychosocial and physiological factors that influenced sexual expressions of older people and found that both cultures and physiological factors were key determinants. “Although sex roles have changed and there has been more freedom of sexual expression since the 1960s, the stereotypes that older people are physically
Over the last century, the life expectancy of the elderly has increased. This means that the largest growing population right now, in the United States, is persons over the age of 65 (Sex Tips for Older Adults, 2000). With this in mind, it would be helpful to talk about the personal aspects or as I like to call it, "sex lives" of the elderly. When people in our society think of the elderly, they almost never think of this population having sex or good sex for that matter. But they do! Unfortunately, the elderly encounter problems with sex as they become older and that is what I will be discussing along with way of coping with sexual dysfunction.
In the article “An Anthropological Look at Human Sexuality” the authors, Patrick Gray and Linda Wolfe speak about how societies look at human sexuality. The core concept of anthology is the idea of culture, the systems of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors people acquire as a member of society. The authors give an in depth analysis on how human sexuality is looked at in all different situations.
When an individual unintentionally enters a room full of an unfamiliar crowd, he or she is bound to be embarrassed, but also have an apprehensive sensation of how others in that room will distinguish them. A situation like that establishes a moment in which that person realizes that all eyes are gaping at that individual. Just when that person could consider forgetting what just happened, unfortunately judgments start circulating among the unfamiliar crowd. As most people know, judgments are based off of a person’s appearance, race, religion, or a quality that doesn’t appeal to the person analyzing them. Obviously, judging is something that takes place whether someone likes it or not, but there are certain limits to it that many cross by adding
Elderly Culture and Nursing Homes Nursing homes offer a wide range of long-term care assistance for older adults to be able to meet their everyday needs. Older adults from different cultural backgrounds experience conflict with their decision to participate in a nursing home, catalyzing the underlying stigma different cultures hold towards nursing homes. In many cultures, older adults look for family as their primary source of care. However, when their needs cannot be met due to disability and mental health issues, it begins to take a toll on the person’s instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). IADLs are complex daily actions that are needed to live (Cavanaugh & Blanchard-Fields, 2015).
Ageism is all too common in films. While there are still so many movies packed with stereotypes that view aging as negative, there is a recent movie, which portrayed aging positively in some aspects, the movie ‘The Second Best Marigold Hotel’. While this movie does contain stereotypes and humor about aging, it also shows the visitors leading active, happy, free and independent lives. They are not portrayed as being sick or frail, but instead they are embracing life and their experiences regardless of their age.
A stereotype is defined as ‘an exaggerated and often prejudiced view of a type of person or group of people’ (Novak, Campbell, & Northcott, 2014, pg. 5). Stereotypes often develop from observations/information that tend to not be true. If they turn out to be true then they are exaggerated and distorted. Further, if someone is found who does not fit the stereotype they are considered to be an exception. Some stereotypes positively portray the elderly but most have a negative impact. This can create prejudice and discrimination towards the elderly which can negatively impact their quality of life (Novac et al., 2014).
Independence is a socially constructed concept within a capitalistic patriarchal society that serves to marginalize and oppress the elderly members of the society. Why do many women of the elderly population within the United States live alone? What is it about our society that has encouraged the elderly population to live alone and without the vital familial support that is so often necessary for people who are reaching their golden years? Elderly people in the United States are one of the most vulnerable groups of people who have traditionally been marginalized. They are viewed as weak individuals because they are no longer able to physically work for pay. Many of them choose to live alone yet suffer in isolation because of the lie they have been sold. According to the symbolic interactionist theory, if independence is the ultimate reward for a lifetime of achievement, surely remaining independent and alone is preferable to living with loved ones. The elderly person does not want his or her social networks to believe the elderly person is weak. Isolation is preferable to dependency and being a burden upon another individual or family.
Each day, almost everyone in the world comes in contact with an older adult. For the purpose of this paper, an older adult is a man or woman who is over the age of 65. Although they are seen regularly in society, have you ever stopped to notice how older adults are treated and portrayed in on-screen media? Most people who watch television have started to notice the quantity and quality of older adult characters over the years. During the era of television shows such as The Golden Girls, older men and women were almost always in a featured role. They were also portrayed in a positive light. As years have passed, older adults are becoming less frequent in on screen media such as television. When they are cast as characters, they are portrayed as needy, annoying, and a complete burden. This paper will explore the different types of messages and representations the media communicates about older adulthood.
Kazer, M. W. (2012). Sexuality assesment for older adults. Try this: Best Practices in Nursing
Looking at our past, there have been dramatic changes in the way humans view sex. Long before the 1900s individuals framed their views based on the religious institution. Due to the fact that they strongly centered their idea of sexual thought on religion, they believed that the only purpose of having sex was to procreate. As the 1920’s approached, there were various factors that changed the way individuals viewed sex. The “new women” known, as flappers were women who were confident in who they were. They changed their attire as well as their social attitude. In the 1920s, the flappers redefined sex; customs and traditions were broken and new norms were created by society.
Sitcoms on television often use cultural representations in character choices as well as in situations the characters may fall into. Popular cultural themes can be shown in relationships between characters, such a family dynamic. One of the most popular examples of a typical family dynamic is a when the father of the family is on top of the hierarchy. We have seen this family stereotype on television for decades, namely Leave it to Beaver. Over time, stereotypes and norms of western culture have been embedded into popular television programing. A prevalent sitcom over the past six years has been a show called The League, which gained popularity due to the rise in popularity of fantasy football. The show made to be a comedy based around a group of friends who partake in a fantasy football league. In this show, many obvious cultural stereotypes arise that
Aging is universal and it is a process that everyone has to go through. The only difference is that everyone goes through this process at their own pace influenced by factors that will be discussed later on in this paper. When we think about factors that have an influence on older adults and how their life may be affected, we must consider the different social institutions while analyzing influences from social factors, cultural factors, and personal values. Abuse to older adults, stereotyping and informal care and technological advancements that affect older adults are the three topics that will be discussed in this reflection. Furthermore, will connect the three topics I have chosen to the knowledge that I have gained from my interaction
In closing, the cartoon by E. Decentis doesn 't properly showcase the real world around seniors today. It is no longer considered to be taboo for the elderly to have sex, as same with younger people to have sex. Once you hit a certain age, that doesn 't imply that the sex life is shut down until the day you die. Medical happenings may occur that may make sex harder for some, but will not slow them down. The human evolutionary trait that demands sex for personal enjoyment, and entertainment versus just to reproduce does not stop at the age 50, but could potentially make someone over the age more active. Psychologically , intercourse for elders can be beneficial, along with physiologically to live healthier lifestyles. After 50, people are not ready for the release of death, but rather enjoy the time they have left.
Hopefully this article has given an insight and some facts about how sexuality plays a role in our lives many different ways. We have been educated about how an illness may effect our feelings towards one another, how religion and faith tie in with sexual beliefs, and how different couples compare to each other in this subject. If we allow ourselves to become more acquainted with these feelings and learn how our own bodies work we would be a lot healthier overall. Learning about ourselves may solve some of the questions we ask in our own minds.
Sprecher, S. (1989). Premarital sexual standards for different categories of individuals. Journal of Sex Research, 26, 232-248.