Intimacy in nursing homes: Passion doesn’t retire

"You might think I was a prude, but I was afraid of everything – afraid of what would happen." Josée Juncker is 84 years old and lives in the Elysis care home in Esch. When we start talking about sexuality, she is unsure at first. "I don't think I'm the right person for this interview, " she says. But it doesn't take long for her to open up. "I had very loving parents, but talking about sexuality was forbidden. It wasn't talked about. When I got married, I was a virgin."

Like her, many people, especially women, grew up in the post-war period – and "this has a significant influence on how they deal with the topic of closeness and tenderness today, " says Anne-Marie Antoine. She is a psychologist and sexologist at Planning Familial and regularly holds training courses and conferences on the topic of sexuality in old age, both for carers and senior citizens. The taboo can be even greater for queer senior citizens. "They may have even more difficulties living out their sexuality. "They don't dare to talk about their past for fear of being judged by others – whether carers or seniors, " says Antoine.

A closed matter

"Many older people, both men and women, experience it as if they are outside this sphere. As if they no longer have the right to their own sexuality. They exclude themselves from this area of life and withdraw more and more, " says Antoine. It's not just about sex itself, but above all about affection, communication, and relationships. "Isolating yourself completely in this respect is harmful to both your physical and mental health."