Over half of people aged 65 and over in the North West say they aren’t getting enough sex!

Older couple

Over half of people aged 65 and over (54%) in the North West say they don’t feel like they have enough sex. And around one in three people aged 65 or over (31%) have had sex on a first date since turning 65, or would consider it. That’s according to a new survey on older people and attitudes to sex, published by Independent Age, the older people’s charity.

The survey of 2,002 older people in the UK, carried out by Censuswide and published to coincide with Valentine’s Day, reveals that one in 10 people aged 65 and over (10%) in the North West say they have had multiple sexual partners since they turned 65, the most in the UK. Around one in seven people aged 65 and over (14%) in the North West say one of the only reasons they would stop having sex would be a lack of opportunity.

This survey is published alongside guidance from Independent Age for older people on a range of issues about relationships in later life, be it ending a relationship or starting a new one. The guidance is available for free online at www.independentage.org/relationships.

Other findings from the survey include, in the North West:

• Condoms are the most frequently used form of precaution against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among people aged 65 and over, although around one in 13 (8%) say that they do not take any precautions against STDs when they start having sex with a new partner.
• One in eight people aged 65 and over (12%) say having sex is one of the best ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the most in the UK.
• Friendship, receiving a hug and having a romantic relationship were picked as some of the most important things to people aged 65 and over.

Lucy Harmer, Director of Services at Independent Age, the older people’s charity, said: “Age is no barrier to having a sex life, and a lot of older people are more sexually active than many people may think.

"Strong relationships are important in later life, and ideas about friendship, romance and intimacy may well change throughout life. Close relationships can offer emotional support, and can make a difference by staving off loneliness and giving you resilience and support to get through difficult patches in life.”