Sexuality in later life : older married couples in Malta

Abstract

Background: As people grow old and retire, their social networks get narrow. Consequently, retired persons dedicate most of their time and energy to their marriages (if married). Being married in later life has reported numerous benefits for a person’s physical, emotional and psychological health; however, these benefits depended on the relationship quality. IN turn, marital satisfaction depends on different factors being sexuality one of them. Researchers have argued that sexuality constitutes an essential channel of connection between spouses. Sexuality naturally changes with age, and those changes may positively or negatively affect the couple’s relationship. The frequency of intercourse episodes may decline with marital longevity, because of the no satisfaction with marital relationship, or as this study’s participants argued, just because of old age. What is important is that not everyone ceases sexual activity with old age. Some may even implement alternatives to be satisfied with the sexual aspect of their relationships. Therefore, generalizations in such a particular area must be avoided to avoid the construction and feeding of stereotypes that may affect the views of older persons, society and policy towards old age and sexuality in later life. Aims: Sexuality in later life, from the person’s point of view, is an area of study that lacks exploration in Malta. This study aimed to explore the sexuality of older persons from the own person’s perspective, exploring the subjective experiences, feelings, attitudes, behaviours, thoughts, mechanisms, and resources of older couples in long-term marriages (more than 20 years). This study looked at the changes that may have occurred in the sexuality of married couples as they grew old together. Moreover, it looked at the mechanisms and resources they used to cope with those changes. Method: The present study adopted a qualitative approach to obtain in-depth insights and understanding of older persons’ subjective experiences, feelings, attitudes, behaviours, and thoughts concerning sexuality. An interpretative phenomenology analysis (IPA) was considered the most suitable method to understand that the lived experiences of older persons acquire a special meaning for them. An opt-in method was adopted where those interested in taking part in the study and who complied with the inclusion criteria contacted the researcher. The researcher developed 4 semi-structured web conferencing interviews in order to obtain the data. Two (2) out of the 4, a male and female from the same couple, served to pilot the study. Results: The findings in this study were inconsistent with other international research that found that sex and sexuality still held importance as people moved into later life. They were also inconsistent with other studies that found that older couples considered sex and sexuality a crucial part of their marriages. Participants pointed a decline in sexual activity for reason of age and health deficits, contrary to other research that found that being old and even having chronic diseases was no reason for the cease of sexual activity. When it came to sexual dysfunctions, participants moved between two lines: either they stopped having sexual activity when the male was unable to have erections or implemented alternatives. Gender differences for the meanings of sex, sexual activity, and sexual desire were remarkable. All participants showed embarrassment in talking about sex and sexuality in front of or with the partner: however, a perceived need to open up with someone else was noticeable. Conclusion: Although older persons represent a large segment of the population, sexuality in later life and sexuality within older married couples seem to lack exploration. Because there is a close relationship between sexual behaviour and couple relationships, it is necessary to consider both parties as a whole. Moreover, it is a must that more research is carried out from the own person’s point of view and taking into account the multidimensional character of sexuality.