Highlights
- “Naked At Our Age” by Joan Price is one of the best sexology books with advice on senior sex.
- According to research, 73 percent of Americans aged 57 to 64 are sexually active.
- This book is great for anyone dealing with low desire and sexual difficulties caused by diminishing health.
- You’ll find two full chapters on erectile dysfunction from both men’s and women’s perspectives.
As you enter your senior years, you get lots of advice on health, fitness, and mental wellbeing. But what about sex? Hollywood films rarely show people aged sixty and over as passionate lovers. However, research shows that 73 percent of Americans aged 57 to 64 are sexually active. Even in the more senior group (75-85 years), 26 percent are still having sex.
“Naked At Our Age: Talking Out Loud About Senior Sex” by Joan Price is one of the best sexology books on the subject. Its power lies in the life experiences of older men, women, and couples who shared their stories with the author.
Why We Love It
This book is a no-nonsense sexuality guide, created with the wisdom of seniors who opened up about their experiences and concerns. In addition, Price invited other experts to give advice on anything from sex toys to senior BDSM.
Science-based, practical tips on how to enjoy intimacy in an older body are the biggest value of this read. Where else would you find tips on which lubricant to buy for your partner who has gone through menopause? As far as we know, glossy magazines with their “sex advice” columns don’t mention topics like how to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome from stimulating your partner manually.
This book will give you and your partner hope that not all is lost on the sexual front. For example, your partner may be sad and believe they’re “frigid,” when the truth is that they still have desire, but it’s much subtler than it was thirty years ago. And you both need to learn how to recognize the gentle signs of sexual interest.
Is This Book for You?
Joan Price is a heterosexual woman who shares her own experience of sex and aging throughout the book, but she also invited gay men and women to share their perspectives on senior sexuality. (But you won’t find much here about aging and sex from the point of view of trans persons.)
Here’s why you may find this book interesting.
If You’ve Lost Your Libido
You’re a man who used to love sex. You could do it all night, seven days a week. Now, as you’re nearing (or past) retirement age, you feel as if someone switched off the “horny” switch.
Sometimes it will be the partner or spouse who has lost interest in erotic endeavors. Don’t worry — you’re not doomed to live sexless lives from now on. Price will help you understand the causes of falling libido and propose solutions to get your juices flowing again.
If You Have Health Concerns
Aging inevitably comes with challenges to your physical and mental health. If you and your partner are in your senior years, you’ll each have unique health concerns. From dealing with the aftermath of prostate cancer to accepting the frightening changes of Alzheimer’s, physical challenges can change the way you can be sexual together.
“Naked At Our Age” talks about the things that are rarely discussed in the doctor’s office. You’ll learn how to make the most of intimacy in spite of illness and disability. Even when physical intercourse is no longer possible, you can still nurture the erotic connection.
What You’ll Learn
This book is a treasure chest of knowledge on senior sexuality — from safer sex (yes, it’s still important, even when pregnancy is no longer an option) through dealing with divorce and death of a spouse, all the way to paying for sexual services. There’s no other guide on the market that helps you navigate pleasure and intimacy at an older age in such detail.
Here’s some of what you’ll learn:
Orgasms Are Good for Your Health!
Joan Price calls orgasms and using sex toys forms of physical therapy. By getting more blood flowing to the genitals and pelvic area, you keep your sexual organs healthy. If you think about it this way, vibrators should be covered by insurance!
Make Love in the Daytime
Evenings are not the best time for sex for most seniors. You may feel like you’ve used up all your energy for the day, and you just want to sleep. Note your daily mood and energy levels for a few weeks and experiment with the best times for intimacy. With no young children at home, you don’t need to worry about being too loud or running around the house naked in the morning!
Talking About Sex Is Easier Out of Bed
Many older couples struggle to communicate their most intimate needs. After all, in your younger days, there was no Instagram with its candid sex educators or Netflix shows teaching you how to build your own sex room.
Starting a conversation about low libido or erectile dysfunction while you’re making love can be awkward. Why not take these matters out for a walk? Take a stroll in the forest, where no one else will be able to hear you, and start talking. And if you still feel it’s too difficult, getting help from a sexologist or sex coach can break through your boundaries.
Get Proactive About Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is such a big issue in senior sex that Joan Price devoted two full chapters to it. The first one, “What Men Don’t Say Out Loud,” presents the problem from the male perspective.
Reading it will get you in that “I’m not alone” mindset and encourage you to seek treatment. While the author suggests holistic solutions to erectile difficulties, she’s not the “just relax and your penis will get hard again” kind of expert. She believes ED medication, such as Viagra can be helpful, and men shouldn’t be ashamed to use it.
In the next chapter, called “Women Speak Out,” you can learn what women (maybe your partner!) think about ED.
eDrugstore Is There For Your Senior Sex Concerns
Erectile dysfunction and other sexual health problems are very common at an older age. With the right treatment, you can make the sexy times last.
Our U.S.-licensed physicians offer free telemedicine consultations and — if your health allows it — will prescribe the right medication for you. Find out more about ED medications ED here.
Anka Grzywacz is a sexologist, reproductive health expert and Certified Sex Coach™. In her online practice she helps busy women and couples solve their intimate problems.