Sex talk… with granny
It is most likely the last thing you want to do – let alone think about – but the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is encouraging people to talk to their grandparents about sex. National HIV/AIDS and Ageing Awareness Day was recently held in America, and to mark the day FDOH reminded people – particularly seniors – that HIV does not have an “age limit”.
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It is most likely the last thing you want to do – let alone think about – but the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is encouraging people to talk to their grandparents about sex.
National HIV/AIDS and Ageing Awareness Day was recently held in America, and to mark the day FDOH reminded people – particularly seniors – that HIV does not have an “age limit”. Predictions suggest by 2015, most HIV/AIDS cases will be among people aged 50 years and older.
According to the Miami Herald, health officials believe younger people may play an important role in preventing the virus in older people.
HIV prevention director at FDOH, Marlene LaLota, told the Miami Herald, while sex conversations are not “easy”, the “world has changed in the past 50 years”, and it is important for older people to understand this.
“Sometimes if there’s an older person in your life who is new to the dating scene, that’s the time to have [the sex talk].”
Ms LaLota says while it is going to be embarrassing, “whatever it takes to break the ice” is important.
However, a younger people must proceed with caution when attempting to talk to their older loved one about this intimate topic, as Ms LaLota says there are differences which exist when discussing sex with an older adult.
“With older people, they’re not thinking about pregnancy or disease. They’re thinking they don’t have anything to worry about. Why do I need to use protection? I’m certainly not going to get pregnant,” Ms LaLota says.
“I think in general our society is very uncomfortable talking about sex. I think for older people it’s magnified.
“If you bury your head in the sand and you don’t talk about it, you don’t think about it, you pretend it’s not happening, [then] it causes problems down the road,” she adds.
Would you feel ‘uneasy’ giving the ‘sex-talk’ to one of your older, loved ones? Share your thoughts on this topic by commenting in the box below.
