JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE December 2015 | Page 201

many older adults have far more time to devote to pleasure and intimacy. Use your time to become more intimate. fosters confidence and comfort, and can help both erectile and dryness problems.  Stretch your experience. Start with a romantic dinner—or breakfast— before lovemaking. Share romantic or erotic literature and poetry. Having an experience together, sexual or not, is a powerful way of connecting intimately.  Don’t be shy. Hold hands and touch your partner often, and encourage him or her to touch you. Tell your partner what you love about him/her, and share your ideas about new sexual experiences you might have together.  Relax. Find something that relaxes both partners, whether it’s trying massage or baths together. Relaxation Expanding your definition of sex Sexuality necessarily takes on a broader definition as we age. Try to open up to the idea that sex can mean many things, and that closeness with a partner can be expressed in many ways.  It’s not just about intercourse. Sex can also be about emotional pleasure, sensory pleasure, and relationship pleasure. Intercourse is only one way to have fulfilling sex. Touching, kissing, and other intimate sexual contact can be just as rewarding for both you and your partner. JOY FEELINGS | DECEMBER ISSUE 201