Quick summary: Adults over 50 are increasingly rejecting traditional taboos by advocating for their sexual pleasure and seeking professional support to manage physical transitions like menopause. This shift towards openness and the exploration of diverse relationship models highlights a vital need for healthcare practitioners to provide non-judgmental sexual health services and better hormonal education. Public policy must adapt to these rising activity levels and the associated 10% increase in STI rates by ensuring that sexual well being and safety remain central to healthy ageing initiatives.
A leading clinical psychologist has identified a significant shift in the sexual landscape for adults over 50, with growing openness around pleasure, menopause, and later life intimacy.
Dr Lori Beth Bisbey, an accredited advanced GSRD (gender, sex, and relationship diversity) therapist and sex coach based in Edinburgh, describes a clear trend in both public conversation and her private practice. “The trend is for people to talk about pleasure, discuss issues relating to menopause and beyond, to talk about changes for men post-50 and to expect to be sexually active throughout adult life,” she said.
Known for her work on Channel 4’s Open House: The Great Sex Experiment, Dr Bisbey notes that the modern landscape for those in their 50s and 60s is increasingly defined by advocacy. She pointed to “women advocating for their pleasure and for the hormonal help they need to be able to enjoy their sexuality” as a primary driver of this shift.
This evolution extends beyond traditional relationships. According to Dr Bisbey, there is a noticeable rise in “people talking about sexual alternatives like non-monogamy and kink without shame,” allowing older adults to explore their desires with an authenticity that previous generations may have found difficult to achieve.
One of the most striking developments involves sexual health trends among those over 65. Recent data has consistently shown a rise in sexually transmitted infections within this demographic, a trend Dr Bisbey links directly to increased activity.
“Observation relating to the increase in STIs in the over 65’s is that more over 65’s are engaging in sexual activity and specifically in casual sex than ever before,” she said. While she views the infection rates as concerning, she sees the underlying cause as a positive sign of vitality. “This is great news (though the infection rate is not),” she added.
The shift in attitude is also reflected in who is seeking professional help. Dr Bisbey reports a substantial increase in older clients compared to the previous decade. “I am consulted more by over 60’s than I was 10 years ago, many of whom are embracing their desires for the first time openly and seeking partners to share them with,” she said.
Despite this progress, challenges remain. Research by Age UK suggests many older adults still feel their sexual health needs are overlooked by medical professionals. Dr Bisbey identifies two broad categories of barriers being dismantled. On the physical side, the push for hormonal support and better education around menopause is helping remove obstacles to intimacy. Psychologically, a reduction in shame surrounding non-traditional lifestyles is lowering barriers for older adults exploring their desires later in life.
Dr Bisbey’s findings suggest that as attitudes continue to evolve, the focus for the over 50s is shifting from simply surviving later life to thriving within it, with experts helping people navigate changing bodies and desires with confidence and safety.