School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2013 Aug;14(8):565-72. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2013.01.022. Epub 2013 Mar 27.
Sexuality is an important component of emotional and physical intimacy that men and women experience throughout their lives. Research suggesting that a high proportion of men and women remain sexually active well into later life refutes the prevailing myth that aging and sexual dysfunction are inexorably linked. Age-related physiological changes do not render a meaningful sexual relationship impossible or even necessarily difficult. Many of these physiological changes are modifiable. There are various therapeutic options available to patients to achieve maximum sexual capacity in old age. This article reviews the prevalence of sexual activity among older adults, the problems these adults encounter with sexual activity, and the role of the health care professional in addressing these problems. The physiological sex-related changes that occur as part of the normal aging process in men and women are reviewed, as well as the effect of age-related physical and psychological illness on sexual function. The attitudes and perceptions of the media and general public toward sexual activity and aging are summarized. An understanding of the sexual changes that accompany the aging process may help general practitioners and other doctors to give practical and useful advice on sexuality as well as refute the misconception that aging equates to celibacy. A thorough awareness of this aspect of older people's quality of life can raise meaningful expectations for aging patients.
性行为是男性和女性在一生中体验到的情感和身体亲密的重要组成部分。研究表明，相当一部分男性和女性在晚年仍然保持活跃的性生活，这驳斥了普遍存在的观点，即衰老和性功能障碍是不可避免地联系在一起的。与年龄相关的生理变化并不会使有意义的性关系变得不可能，甚至不一定会变得困难。许多这些生理变化是可以改变的。患者有各种治疗选择可以在老年时达到最大的性能力。本文回顾了老年人的性行为发生率、这些成年人在性行为中遇到的问题以及医疗保健专业人员在解决这些问题中的作用。本文还回顾了男性和女性在正常衰老过程中发生的与性相关的生理变化，以及与年龄相关的身体和心理疾病对性功能的影响。总结了媒体和公众对性行为和衰老的态度和看法。了解伴随衰老过程的性变化可以帮助全科医生和其他医生提供有关性行为的实际有用建议，并驳斥衰老等同于独身的误解。彻底了解老年人生活质量的这一方面，可以为老年患者带来有意义的期望。
