Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise for seniors

June is Seniors Month
June 11, 2008 09:23 AM
MARIA TZAVARAS Scarborough Mirror

Seniors who have been out of the dating game have a new set of things to think about.
While they don't have to worry about getting pregnant any more, sexually transmitted infections are on the rise for older people.

Michele Cauch, executive director of SageHealth Network, a Toronto-based sexual health promotion and education company that hosts workshops for seniors, said there are many reasons for this, including people not using protection.

"Just because they're (seniors) beyond child-bearing years people aren't using condoms, they think 'Why should I use condoms I'm not going to get pregnant, I'm 75'...," she said.

Another reason is that 50 years ago, diseases were curable and AIDS was not an issue.

Cauch said the number of HIV cases are also going up because individuals with the disease are living longer and are aging with their illness.

"So there are people acquiring sexually transmitted infections later in life because they're not practising safe sex but there are also people who have acquired STIs earlier in life and they're living longer," Cauch said.

Another interesting fact to note is that with the advent of Viagra, there has been an increase in older married women getting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

"A lot of these older men are taking Viagra and then cheating on their spouses, pick up an STD and bring it back to their wives," Cauch said

Caution aside, Cauch said senior dating is often more about meeting friends and having companionship more than it is about dating and having sex in the traditional sense. That's because some seniors may have mobility issues and medication can affect desire and ability.

"With respect to sexuality, seniors I think have a different interpretation about what sex is," Cauch said. "It may not be penetrative sex but it's more what I like to call outercourse."

Ruth Goodman, senior social worker at Baycrest Geriatric Health Care Centre in North York, said sexuality and intimacy should definitely be present in a senior's life, but it should be defined more broadly.

"Intercourse is not the only way to be close to someone, ... it's affection, touch, hugging, kissing caressing. With older people where there may be certain physical losses so it means lovemaking takes a different shape," Goodman said.

Whether you're 65 or 95, Goodman said the richer your social network is the better off you will be. Because seniors go through a number of mental and physical changes, a great support system will help them to better navigate through those changes and be more resilient.