Any issues pertaining to sex tend to be highly sensitive. It does, after all, concern deeply intimate experiences, which may evoke substantial emotional reactions even from mentally stoic people. The sensitivity is even higher when the discussion concerns people of old age. Modern society has numerous stereotypes, which devalue older people’s ability to have sex, possess libido, or even have intimate cravings. Yet, as more and more social groups receive attention, older people are also incentivized to continue their investment in their sexual life. One particular promotional advertisement on YouTube, “Sexuality and the Older Person,” showcases the growing social encouragement of the elderly people’s interest in sex.
The video itself is a promotional clip, which advertises a self-help company Altura Learning’s courses designed to help older people embrace their sexuality. The message is conveyed via voice-over narration, which is reinforced by visual scenes of an elder couple in various romantic situations. The narrator begins by addressing a common stereotype shared by young people that senior age means no active sex life. They proceed to explain that many elder people also limit themselves to the same idea. However, it does not have to be this way, as the narrator explains that this program can show elder people how to uncover their sexuality.
Although the video is brief and falls within the time frame of 47 seconds, it manages to convey its message fully and clearly. The main idea is that sex is not a prerogative of young people exclusively, but it can be enjoyed at a senior age as well. A less clear message is that modern society has an obfuscated understanding of sexuality, which can be attributed to the emphasis on youth’s sexual drives. Naturally, the ultimate purpose of the video is to attract attention to Altura Learning’s program, which promises to help elder people to reclaim their sexuality. Nevertheless, it boasts an overall positive attitude to elder people’s sexual interests.
The portrayal of sexuality is multifold, manifesting in different aspects. First, the narrator acknowledges the problem of the human body becoming weaker with the advancing age. They even refer to the opinion held primarily by youths that old age means a lack of sexual abilities. The scenes featuring the ad’s characters indicate a different perspective. The couple in the video appears to be physically aroused by each other, which is seen in their gestures, mimics, and behavior in an intimate environment. It can be stated that the video attempts to persuade the viewers that the absence of physical attraction, which is characteristic of younger years, does not necessarily stop physiological arousal.
The idea that elder people do not pristine the beauty of their partners to be aroused is corroborated by the existing research. Parnar (2021) writes that elder people have different sex drivers than young ones, which explains the generational gap in the understanding of sexuality. However, senior citizens can appreciate the beauty of the human body, their physical attraction forms when there is enough trust and comfort between the partners. Provided personal comfort is assured, elder people can get physiologically aroused and physically enjoy the subsequent experience. Subsequently, the advertisement’s emphasis on comfort is an essential part of the activation of physiology in the sexual development of adults.
At this point, the importance of psychological comfort for elder people would be evident. However, sexuality is not limited to physicality and physical arousal. The moment that many young people and society in general miss lies in the fact that sexual relations are intrinsically related to psychology. It is the feeling of trust and comfort that drives people to become physical with each other. This is especially important for elder people, who no longer enjoy the attractiveness of youth and may have physical restrictions to have sex. The creators of the advertisement understand it and accentuate the psychological aspect.
Psychologically, the advertisement propagates trust, reliance on each other, and openness to one’s inner desires. The couple depicted in the video has much quality time. They are shown to be walking, visiting a restaurant, staying in a hotel, all of which reinforce their amount of shared experiences. With such non-verbal signs as smiling over a meal, holding the partner’s hand, and hugging them tenderly from behind, the advertisement shows that sexuality is primarily expressed through such subtleties. Yet, these small expressions of affection accumulate and generate the overall atmosphere of mutual attraction.
The advertisement’s emphasis on psychology also is also proved by the research. As it has already been stated, physicality becomes less important in arousal as people get older. The time required for physical arousal significantly increases as well. However, in the case of elder people, arousal is first and foremost psychological (Parnar, 2021). This is why the advertisement places so much importance on depicting seemingly mundane activities. Elder people are driven towards affection and trust, which further motivate them towards sex. Achievement of these feelings is possible due to the continuous supply of shared experiences, where devotion, attraction, and trust are displayed with subtle non-verbal signals.
However, neither the physiological aspect nor the psychological one are as creeping as the social dismissal. It should be noted that the advertisement does not visualize the stereotypical beliefs of young people about elder people’s sexuality. Nevertheless, they are present and understood by the viewer, especially by a senior audience. The narrator verbally acknowledges the problem experienced by many elder people. However, they also state that the belief in the inherent inability or inappropriateness of elder people to engage sexually is mistaken. They communicate that it is possible to overcome the social stigma regarding sex.
The same problem is acknowledged by the research, which also berates social pressure. The issue of society believing that elder people are not able to or should not be able to engage in sex actively harms the senior couples (Syme & Cohn, 2020). As elder people succumb to such stereotypes, they begin to think this way as well. Another consequence lies in the obscured understanding of sexuality, which is harmful to both younger and elder generations in the long term perspective (Syme & Cohn, 2020). Overcoming such rigid thinking can be both mentally liberating and psychologically beneficial for elder people.
Altogether, “Sexuality and the Older Person” is an effective promotional advertisement, which captures the physiological, psychological, and social problems of elder people in their sex lives. Physiological aspect is acknowledged by the decreased attractiveness and physical urges. Psychological comfort and trust are imperative in sexual development. Finally, social stereotypes hinge the ability of elder people to enjoy themselves. The advertisement acknowledges these problems and promotes the message, which motivates elder people to embrace their sexuality.
References
AlturaLearning. (2016). Sexuality and the Older Person [Video file].
Parmar, S. (2021). Ethical aspects of sexuality in old age. Global Bioethics Enquiry 2021, 9(1), 46-49.
Syme, M. L., & Cohn, T. J. (2020). Aging sexual stereotypes and sexual expression in mid-and later life: Examining the stereotype matching effect. Aging & Mental Health, 72(1), 1-8.