Patricia MacGabbann

Promoting the Sexual Health of Older People

Tags: advocacy advocate discrimination Empathy Health Promotion older people sexual health

This paper examines the issue of sexual health and older people. It identifies sexual health in this population group as a component of health that is often overlooked. As a practitioner of Gerontological Nursing, the author seeks to determine why this is and what can be done about promoting sexual health for this population group. Initially health promotion and sexuality are defined before outlining the rationale for the choice of this topic. Incorporated into the discussion is the acknowledgement that this is an area requiring significant development for all older people, regardless of sexual orientation, that in fact the need for health promotion for older gay and lesbian people may be a more pressing issue overall. Having outlined the need for health promotion, a number of strategies are introduced. Relatively little research into this specific issue has been conducted thus health promotion strategies in more broad terms are discussed.