Their joints may be creaky and teeth all gone, but a majority of ageing Indians are still sexually active, some even into their 90s, a study has found. And at least 83 per cent of senior citizens continue to masturbate — men mostly out of habit, and women, to have an orgasm.
The first Indian study on sexual behaviour in the elderly, conducted on 3,021 people in the 50 to 91 age group, has found that most seniors prefer to have sex at night, but 13 per cent are ready for a roll in the hay anytime.
However, the respondents of the study, who were mostly English-speaking graduates from the middle and upper-income levels, said they wished they could have more sex. Apart from the sexual problems that set in with age, the main reasons for not having regular sex were “lack of privacy” and “cultural restrictions”.
A high 26 per cent of seniors admitted having had extra-marital sex, and the most common reason cited by the men was a lack of privacy at home. Women had cited “lack of emotional bonding” with the husband as reason for their extra marital affairs.
“Most Indians believe that once people become old, they are asexual beings. Children often unknowingly separate their aged parents — they make them sleep in different rooms, or with the grandchildren,” explains sexologist Dr Narayan Reddy, who led the team of researchers in the study.
“The ability to perform sexually is not affected by old age, it is just the pace that slows down. Sex is good for older people; it reduces depression and anxiety, improves physical health and helps age gracefully,” says Dr Reddy, pointing out that old age is a great time for couples to enjoy sex — they have more time, there are no pregnancy scares and they are emotionally more comfortable with their spouses.