Sexuality in Residential Aged Care: A Survey of Perceptions and Policies in Australian Nursing Homes

Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with nursing managers from 198 randomly selected residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, Australia to gather information about how they perceive and respond to the sexual expression of elderly residents...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sexuality and disability 2010-09, Vol.28 (3), p.187-194
Main Authors: Shuttleworth, Russell, Russell, Cherry, Weerakoon, Patricia, Dune, Tinashe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Academic Standards
Accreditation (Institutions)
Administrator Surveys
Aging
Aging (Individuals)
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Community and Environmental Psychology
Dementia
Educational Opportunities
Graduate Study
Guidelines
Health Sciences
Medical personnel
Nursing homes
Older Adults
Older people
Original Paper
Perceptions
Psychology
Rehabilitation Medicine
Residential Care
Residential Institutions
Sexual Behavior
Sexuality
Urology
Well Being
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Summary:Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with nursing managers from 198 randomly selected residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, Australia to gather information about how they perceive and respond to the sexual expression of elderly residents, particularly in relation to policy and training. Participants expressed positive views about the rights of residents for sexual expression but few facilities had any formal policies or training programs in place. Managers identified a range of sexuality-related issues as sources of concern in their day to day operation, however, these tended to be dealt with in an informal and ad hoc way. The lack of policy guidelines and training in this area leads to inconsistent and uncertain practice, with negative implications for the sexual health of residents and the smooth functioning of facilities. A national level approach to policy development is indicated.
ISSN:0146-1044
1573-6717
DOI:10.1007/s11195-010-9164-6