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Knowledge and Attitudes About Later Life Sexuality: What Clinicians Need To Know About Helping the Elderly

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Abstract

In the family therapy field we have often overlooked the elderly and in particular addressing sexual concerns within the context of couples therapy with the elderly (Van Amburg, Barber, & Zimmerman, 1996). The projected life-span of the elderly has increased due to improvements in medical technology and due to a better quality of life which promotes longevity. Included in this paper are the specific age-related physical, emotional, and sexual changes common in later life as well as a clinical case vignette of an elderly couple presenting with a sexual issue. Current sexuality education programs for the elderly are reviewed as well as clinical implications for therapists who treat the elderly.

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Willert, A., Semans, M. Knowledge and Attitudes About Later Life Sexuality: What Clinicians Need To Know About Helping the Elderly. Contemporary Family Therapy 22, 415–435 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1007896817570

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