Dr. Ruth on Senior Sexuality
The growing popularity of erectile dysfuction drugs such as Viagra and Levitra has encouraged men of all ages to recharge the batteries and stay sexually active into seniorhood.
But Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the famous sexual therapist known for her humorous, no-nonsense advice, said equal attention has not been paid to developing similar treatments for older women _ even though they comprise the majority of the 60-plus population.
In a recent telephone interview, Westheimer pointed out that there is no federally approved Viagra equivalent for females. And a landmark University of Chicago sexuality study of 3,000 Americans between the ages of 57 and 85, published last month in the New England Journal of Medicine, found only 22 percent of women talked with their doctors about their sexual health after age 50, versus 38 percent of men.
Westheimer, 79, thinks that’s because of the lingering stereotype that senior women are no longer interested in sex.
“They are wrong! Put that down,” said Westheimer, who has written more than 30 books including “Sex For Dummies.” In Dr Ruth’s “Sex After 50,” penned two years ago, she has separate chapters for men and women on what to expect about their sexuality as they age.
Dr. Lawrence Hakim, a surgeon and specialist in sexual medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Weston calls erectile dysfunction a “couple’s disease” and said it affects one out of two men over age 40. Three ED medications rank among the top 10 drugs sold by Internet pharmacies, according to PharmacyChecker.com, which helps consumers compare online drug prices.
Yet a survey sponsored by the Erectile Dysfunction Institute and a prostate cancer education group found two-thirds of about 800 men polled said they would never experience ED.
About 30 to 40 percent of men with ED find medication does not work for them. But Hakim said many aren’t aware that there are other options, such as injection therapy or penile implants.
“Our goal is to improve the overall health of young and old. If your health is poor, you will be less sexually active,” Hakim said.
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