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Human beings thrive on contact. The ability and need to reach out to touch someone and to be touched is fundamental to our existence. One way of expression is through intimacy and sexual interest. The need for intimacy and sexual interest stretches across the life span. As we age, sexual interest may not diminish and it may actually increase.

In today’s society, many people over the age of 65 are living in long-term care facilities. They may find it difficult to fulfill their needs for intimacy and sexual contact. Sometimes they are forbidden by family members and nursing staff to engage in sexual activity. They may not have a place where they can meet privately with their spouse or significant others. Often, workers impose their own values on residents when it comes to sexual behavior between consenting adults in the long-term care setting.

Intimacy is a sense of being in a deeply rewarding, emotionally intense relationship. When base on love, it includes emotional security, respect, communication and loyalty. It does not have to entail sexual intimacy, but sexuality encompasses many aspects of gender identity. Intimacy, love and satisfying sexual intimacy strongly correlate with the life satisfaction and psychological well-being.

Intimacy and sexual interest is healthy and normal at any stage in the life span. Just because someone enters into a long-term care setting doesn’t mean they lose interest.

• Right to dignity & respect
• This applies to any incident in the facility, including those of a sexual nature.

• Right to meet privately with spouse/visitors whom you wish to see.
• Your spouse does not have to be a resident of the facility. It is the facility’s

• Right to not be discriminated against based on sexual orientation
• No one, not staff or your children, have the right to impose their own morals and preferences on you. This is state and federal law. Sexual orientation does not change when you become a nursing home resident.

• Right to have individual needs and preferences accommodated within reason
• This includes the need for intimacy, socialization, and feeling cared for emotionally, not just physically/medically.

• Right to privacy
• Staff and visitors must knock and ask your permission before entering

• Right to have information about yourself kept private
• The staff should not be gossiping about your sexual activities with each

• Right to be safe from harm
• You have the right to be protected from sexual assault and/or harassment

If you believe that your rights to intimacy and sexual activity have been infringed upon or violated in any way, you may contact your local Citizens for Better Care Office.

Intimacy and sexual activity in the elder adult can be satisfying and rewarding whether it takes the form of self stimulation with a spouse or a significant other. You have a right to engage in the activity with the partner of your choice, as long as that partner consents and is cognitively capable of giving that consent.

Although you may not worry about a pregnancy resulting from your activities, you are still at risk for sexual transmitted diseases (STD’s) like chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis. The use of a condom can help protect you and your partner from STD’s.

Rev: 04/04