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Case 43 - “I Like the Way She Laughs”

Sexuality in Long-Term Care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2024

Matthew Gibfried
Affiliation:
Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri
George T. Grossberg
Affiliation:
Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri
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Summary

Older adults retain the need for physical and emotional intimacy far into their later years despite the presence of cognitive impairment. The capacity to consent to sexual activity is possible for residents that can correctly recognize a potential partner, express interest in sexual activity, communicate needs and wants either verbally or nonverbally, and communicate lack of desire for sexual contact. The involvement of families in discussions of romantic relationships in the long-term care setting can be challenging but it is improved by the education and experience of providers and staff. Federal regulations regarding long-term care facilities indicate that residents have the right to engage in consensual sexual activity if they have the capacity to consent to sexual activity.

Type
Chapter
Information
Clinical Case Studies in Long-Term Care Psychiatry
Navigating Common Mental Health Challenges in Geriatric Care
, pp. 216 - 219
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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References

References

American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging/American Psychological Association. (2008). Assessment of Older Adults with Diminished Capacity: A Handbook for Psychologists. www.apa.org/pi/aging/programs/assessment/capacity-psychologist-handbook.pdfGoogle Scholar

Further Reading

Esmail, S., & Concannon, B. (2022). Approaches to determine and manage sexual consent abilities for people with cognitive disabilities: Systematic review. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 11 (1). https://doi.org/10.2196/28137CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jackson, S. E., Firth, J., Veronese, N., Stubbs, B., Koyanagi, A., Yang, L., & Smith, L. (2019). Decline in sexuality and wellbeing in older adults: A population-based study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 245, 912917.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lichtenberg, P. A. (2014). Sexuality and physical intimacy in long-term care: Sexuality, long-term care, capacity assessment. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 28 (1), 42. https://doi.org/10.3109/07380577.2013.865858CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, L., Yang, L., Veronese, N., Soysal, P., Stubbs, B., & Jackson, S. E. (2019). Sexual activity is associated with greater enjoyment of life in older adults. Sexual Medicine, 7 (1), 1118.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Srinivasan, S., Glover, J., Tampi, R. R., Tampi, D. J., & Sewell, D. D. (2019). Sexuality and the older adult. Current Psychiatry Reports, 21, 19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

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