Seniors living in long term care facilities can develop relationships that family members and staff may find hard to address For many nursing homes, education on this topic has been increased. About 40% of people between ages 65 and 80 are sexually active, according to a survey from the national poll on healthy aging, sponsored by aarp and the university of michigan. From institutional to individual care sex in nursing homes is about more than just lovemaking Until the 1990s, nursing facilities were run on a military model. In other areas of care, nursing homes have more discretion—for example, by allowing an individual resident to choose when she will eat her meals and what clothes she will wear
Absent from nursing home regulations are guidelines on how to assess and accommodate residents’ preferences for intimate sexual activity. Despite this, intimacy and sexuality in nursing homes are subjects often ignored The ability to engage in consensual sexual activity is the right of nursing home residents Like other rights, it is important for residents to understand what is acceptable and appropriate with regard to intimacy and sexuality. Research shows that older adults want and need sexual intimacy well into their later years
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