Sexuality as a practice, relationship and an area of emotions is met by a vast majority of people since teenage years onwards. Concerning sexuality between intimate partners, it was traditionally valid, that this form of intimacy more or less ends after the birth of children and that older couples do not have sexual intercourses any longer. Researching this field of sexuality and emotions of the elderly is relevant and important, as it is making insight into the private life of the population, that is often stigmatized concerning this area. There is too little research on this specific topic. Existent researches have addressed the topic from a health point of view and a lot less from a social science point of view, which would actually cover the relevant aspect of the topic. In my own qualitative research, I looked into how sexuality- if practised- influences elderly people in their emotional life and their emotional life in general. With elderly people, either horror or silence can still be perceived concerning the issue of sexuality. I wonder if elderly have the ability to have an open and honest conversation about their fears and troubles (also connected to sexuality), which are consequences of living in an institutionalized residence, thus in completely new life circumstances (and places).
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