To mark Valentines Day, Age UK has launched its first-ever guide challenging the stigma around love and intimacy in later life.
‘Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,’ William Shakespeare once wrote. Four centuries on, the sentiment still resonates. Yet research from the charity suggests that while desire may endure, society’s willingness to acknowledge it often does not.
The guide, titled Still Got It, is aimed at people over 50 and covers sex, relationships and intimacy – subjects usually framed through a youthful lens. Age UK said this imbalance has left many older people without reliable information at a time when their circumstances might be changing.
‘As we get older, the world becomes more obsessed with our age than who we really are,’ Michelle Collins, acclaimed actress and ambassador for the guide, said. ‘But we’re exactly the same person on the inside as we’ve always been – maybe we even know ourselves better now.’
According to the charity’s research, one in four people over 50 wish there were more guidance on sex in later life. Around five million (19%) believe their sexual health needs are overlooked by doctors and roughly 4.1 million (15%) say they would feel too embarrassed to ask for an STI test.
A further 3.9 million (15%) worry about their sexual health and wellbeing.
‘So much of the advice and information out there is created with younger people in mind, who are discovering sex and relationships for the first time,’ Dr Lis Boulton, health and care policy manager at Age UK, said.
‘But we know from speaking to older people that, as we grow older and our bodies and circumstances change, the support becomes less readily available – to the point where some feel they shouldn’t be talking about sex or engaging in sexual relationships at all. That’s why a guide like this is needed in more ways than one.’
The dating landscape has shifted significantly in recent years, leaving many over 50s feeling left behind. Two thirds (64%) say the modern world of dating apps would leave them feeling overwhelmed. Meanwhile, 31% admit they lack confidence in their knowledge about sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
‘I’m so proud to support Age UK’s Still Got It initiative,’ Collins added. ‘As someone who found love in my 50s, I’m keen to raise awareness of the stigma around older people and sex and relationships, and to promote the need for more information and advice like the charity’s new guide.
‘It’s so important to continue embracing every part of ourselves in later life, including our sexual and romantic needs and desires — and that starts by talking about it.’
Tracey Cox, author and columnist on dating, sex and relationships, said: ‘Older people don’t just have sex, they often have better sex than they did when they were younger.
‘This guide will show you how. It’s practical, helpful, honest and a gift for anyone who wants to enjoy sex, dating and relationships later in life.’
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