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For many years, nursing homes have had a negative image. These residential communities can mean the end of life as the residents leave their family and friends behind. Nursing homes have become synonymous with our fears of growing old and dying. However, there is a growing trend in nursing homes to change how residents live the later years of their life. An important issue that many nursing homes and our society at large are unwilling to face is the sexual life of the elderly.

There is consistent research, which shows that sex, love, and intimacy are an important part of life for people at any age. In many cases, these personal desires and physical needs grow stronger with age. An intimate relationship has shown to have a positive effect on an elderly person's health on every level. It helps increase self-esteem, body image, quality of life, and has even been shown to help people find clarity when suffering from serious mental illnesses.

Old age can be a time of intimacy without the fears that plague young people. A lack of such interpersonal closeness can inhibit one's mental and physical health. Emotional intimacy and sexual and physical contact is a basic human need and right. If anything, the need for love and intimacy can grow stronger and more necessary throughout our lifespan. This is where nursing homes have control over the residents' lives and can hinder or facilitate these encounters. They can help people find fulfillment by being open enough to educate their residents on sexually transmitted diseases and sexual dysfunctions, provide protection, and allow them to have private rooms and time to spend with their partner. Some places presently allow couples to room together.

Now that 77 million baby-boomers, known for the sexual revolution, are finally beginning to reach the chronological age of 60 or older, they are becoming an ever-increasing proportion of the elderly population and ultimately the residents of nursing homes. This population and their increasing presence have caused many facilities to reconsider their traditional and ageist attitudes regarding the sexual lives of elderly residents.

Nursing homes must walk a fine line between following state and federal regulations that protect the resident's rights, while also trying to protect themselves from lawsuits. They must also respect the wishes of the resident's family who are concerned with the competence of their elderly relatives. The truth is that this is an ongoing issue that many nursing homes are confronting.

With the ever-increasing life expectancy of Americans, and with the elderly population growing at an alarming rate, it is inevitable that our society would begin addressing the harsh ageist attitudes that appear to be imbedded within our culture. The struggle begins at home as people look to place family members in nursing homes. As nursing homes change to reflect these basic changes within ourselves and our society, we can look forward to a time when moving into a nursing home does not have to be seen as a depressing and unproductive time in one's life, but can actually offer the potential for fulfillment and happiness.