Understanding Aged Care: Seniors and Safe Sex

Older Australians are being encouraged to practice safe sex as the latest figures reveal Chlamydia has doubled in Australian’s over 40 since 2005. Family Planning NSW has launched a safe sex awareness campaign for older Australians, with the aim of educating people over 40 about the risks of having sex without a condom.

Dr Deborah Bateson, Medical Director at Family Planning NSW said the increase may be due to older Australian’s meeting new partner’s later in life.

“Older people may not feel comfortable discussing condoms and STI issues with their partner or with their GP and they certainly don’t want to talk about it with their children,” Dr Bateson said.

“People in their 60s are not part of the ‘condom generation’ and would have been experimenting with sexual relationships in the 1970s, many years before HIV and the Grim Reaper campaign of the late 80s hit the public’s consciousness.”

She also mentioned that women who had reached menopause for example, did not have the added incentive of using a condom to avoid pregnancy. Online dating website RSVP is helping to promote the campaign by communicating the safe sex message to its members aged over 50.

Glenis Carroll, General Manager of RSVP said “there is a need for more safe sex education and awareness, particularly among older Australians.”

RSVP is working with Family Planning NSW to distribute a safe sex pack containing a condom, lube and instructions on using condoms packaged in discreet business care sized wallets.

Packs will be distributed to Family Planning New South Wales partner organisations and future RSVP events.