Older man
52% of people that are 65 or older think they're not getting enough sex iStock

KEY POINTS

  • 10% of people that are 75 or older said they had multiple sex partners since turning 65.
  • With age, people tend to value friendship over romance.

More than half (52%) of people over 65 years of age feel they're not getting enough sex, according to a new survey published today (14 February) by charitable association Independent Age.

2,002 people took part in the survey looking into older people's attitude to sex, conducted by Censuswide between 2 and 7 February 2018.

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52% of people over 65 don't feel they're having enough sex, while only 27.9% are satisfied with the amount of sex they have.

Health issues are cited as the main reason people over 65 would stop having sex, with 47.4% of people saying it would play a role. 16.5% of people said the lack of opportunity is also an issue.

Love or friendship, what matters most as we get older? 70.5% of respondents said friendship was the most important thing to them, while 43.7% said it was receiving hugs. Only 10% said sex was a priority.

The survey also shows that one in 10 people (10%) aged 75 or over have had multiple sex partners since they turned 65.

However, only one in 6 (18%) of people aged 80 or older are satisfied with the amount of sex they have.

"Age is no barrier to having a sex life, and a lot of older people are more sexually active than many people may think," said Independent Age's Lucy Harmer.

But she notes dating is as difficult when you're 65 as when you're younger. "Sex, dating and relationships can be complex, and that does not stop when we get older."

According to the survey, one thing stays the same: 43.8% said sex didn't change much as they got older, with only 16.5% saying it got better.

But age and health issues, like erectile dysfunction or reduced mobility mean other precautions need to be taken. The practices may be slightly different for people in their 60's or older according to Age UK. Body confidence and body positivity are also important to feel desirable and have a good sex drive.

What about protection? While most respondents said they were mainly relying on condoms, 9% said they didn't take precautions at all when it came to doing the deed.

When it comes to giving younger people advice, the elders think young couples should go out for a meal, give their significant other a gift or cook a romantic dinner at home.