Being able to express our sexuality is known to be important to health, well-being, quality of life and furthermore, is a human right.
Sexuality and long term care facilities
Christina Campbell, MSW, RSW, Sexologist
For many older individuals, entering a long-term care facility means giving up ones independence, home and personal life style. Often added to these traumatic losses is the perception that the freedom and privacy to express ones sexuality is also gone. While caretakers may often interpret sexual expression by residents as a behavioural problem, one should consider the possibility that this behaviour may be an indication of the loss of a very basic need-the need for human touch, closeness, and intimacy.
Literature investigating sexuality amongst individuals in long-term care facilities acknowledges that sexual expression does exist. However, regardless of this fact, many long term care facilities have yet to implement policies or training programs directing staff on how to respond to a resident’ s sexual expression.
Patricia Bach, a geriatric psychologist, talks about residents’ right to engage in safe and private intimate relationships. Like other rights, she states that it is important for residents to understand what is acceptable and appropriate with respect to intimacy and sexuality.
Bach adds that staff must try to understand these needs and while they should also respect the privacy and dignity of residents with regards to sexual behaviour, efforts should be made to keep residents safe. Bach goes on to say that it is important to obtain sexually related information upon admission to a nursing home such as whether a new resident is sexually active with a spouse or other partner, uses medication to enhance sexual performance or has a history of sexually transmitted illnesses.
Do you think that residents of nursing homes have the right to engage in sexual expression, if they so choose? Legally, residents of long-term care facilities are entitled to express themselves sexually as long as sexual expression is not a public display, is consensual between their partner or significant other and does not harm the resident or others. However, some barriers still remain and for many residents, appropriate sexual expression may be prevented due to lack of privacy, physical and mental health status, lack of institutional policies / procedures and because of staff or family intervention.
Christina Campbell, MSW, RSW, Sexologue campbellchristina07 @ gmail. com
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