Program Lesson 4 Love, Intimacy, and Sexuality


The health evaluation of older adults now includes information about sexuality	Societal stereotypes suggest that there is no sex after sixty	The Wonsons' caring, loving relationship has improved with age	The need for touch and companionship is important to all of us

Summary of the Video and Text

Video

The video has three segments. The first segment explores attitudes toward sexuality in old age. The second segment presents information on the physiological changes to the reproductive systems. A number of older adults tell us how physiological and social changes have affected their expression of sexuality. The third and final segment discusses avenues for affection in later life. The married couples in the video report deepening friendship. Elders without spouses discuss how they receive affection from other family members, friends, and pets.

Video Quote: Barbara Payne, Ph.D., comments on common attitudes toward sex and aging

Barbara Payne: "All you've got to do is to go to a card shop, and in there you're gonna find all the cards telling you about your decline. How to deal with it, and sympathy cards about your loss and all of that. And they begin in your 30s. Older people laugh at that, because they know somebody's dumb, you know. But still, it's offensive to see that something that's important in your life is made fun of. And then, I get to feeling sorry for the younger people. If they believe these cards, they're in trouble."

Text

Chapter 7, "Love, Intimacy, and Sexuality in Older Adults," presents information on prevalent attitudes and beliefs about love and sexuality among older adults, how the reproductive systems of men and women age, the effect of disease on sexual functioning, gay and lesbian relationships, and factors that support or limit the ability of older adults to be involved in relationships of love and intimacy.

Video Quote: Harvey Gochros, D.S.W., discusses research results on homosexual relationships in aging

Harvey Gochros: "Yes, somehow we forget the fact that maybe five to ten percent of children have homosexual feelings. Five to ten percent of adults we know do. But five to ten percent of older people do, too. And they do not suddenly disappear. They are there. And one of the reassuring results of research is that older gay people very often make a very, very good adjustment. The reason for that is because they're a minority group, and that their sexual and intimacy patterns are different. They have to be very conscious of planning and thinking through, how do I live my intimate life. And as a result of that, they are sometimes better prepared for aging than heterosexually oriented people."

Video Quote: A pet is an important source of affection for Elizabeth Allen

Elizabeth Allen: "Cats are my darlings. I've always had a cat. Not always as beautiful as you. But pretty near. I think cats are very important. For this kind of a house. It has done great things for us here in the house. I think there's one person only who doesn't really love this cat. And I don't see how anybody can help it. It makes a great deal of difference. Now, what could be nicer than that beautiful face?"

Features of the Study and Faculty Guides

Study Guide (MySocKit)

Key points of the lesson, integrating video and text, are elucidated under the learning objective topics. Self-study questions help students prepare for exams. Descriptions of discussion and essay/research topics provide instructions for a variety of activities that may be assigned by the instructor. The Study Guide also provides a glossary of key terms and concepts covered in the telecourse and a listing of participants in the video.

Faculty Guide

The descriptions of discussion and essay/research topics presented in the Study Guide are reprinted in the Faculty Guide with tips for assigning the activities effectively. In addition, in-class activity suggestions and exam questions/answers are included. The Guide offers options appropriate for faculty using the telecourse in different settings, e.g., in-class, distance learning, interactive television, or a combination of formats. A Video Index helps instructors find segments of the video by time code and topic.