To assist older adults to meet their needs for sexuality, which of the following should the nurse recognize?
a. Therapeutic medications may alter sexual function.
b. Physiological changes do not adversely influence sexual activity.
c. Sexual interest declines and then fades completely with age.
d. Prevention of sexually transmitted infections is no longer an issue with this age group.
A
Many older adults use prescription medications that depress sexual activity, such as antihyper-tensives, antidepressants, sedatives, or hypnotics. Some drugs increase libido in older adults. For example, phenothiazines increase sexual desire in women, and levodopa has a similar effect in men.
Physiological changes in older adults may have an adverse influence on sexual activity. The older man may experience decreased firmness in his erection, a decreased need for ejaculation with orgasm, or a longer recovery period between episodes of intercourse. The older woman may ex-perience vaginal dryness.
It is a common misconception that older adults are not interested in sex. The older adult's libido does not decrease, although frequency of sexual activity may decline.
Information about the prevention of sexually transmitted infections should be included when ap-propriate.
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