Happy Anniversary! This month celebrates the tenth anniversary of Joan Price’s Sex and Relationships advice column for Senior Planet – with 123 columns over that period! Here is a ten-year retrospective, highlighting the top four intimacy issues for seniors, along with some valuable resources and more.
How ‘Ask Joan” Began
“I really do need your help. I have a husband who loves me and needs the intimacy we used to have. I seem to have lost the desire almost altogether, and my poor husband is suffering.”
My first column for Senior Planet, titled “How to Trigger Desire in a Stale Relationship,” was published on May 6, 2014. We kicked off with a bang: four columns in the first month addressing lack of desire, signaling interest in sex, STIs and safer sex, and vibrators.
After that initial burst, we transitioned to a monthly schedule. In the first year, I received questions on topics like ethical non-monogamy, painful intercourse, troubled relationships, online dating, sexless marriage, ED, spouse watching porn, difficulty reaching orgasm, and more.
“I fear we’re going to run out of questions,” my editor emailed me in 2017. Looking back now, I chuckle at that thought. I still receive a multitude of questions each month, highlighting that “Ask Joan” is here to stay!
Evolution of “Ask Joan”
The only thing that has changed over the years is the column’s length. Early columns were shorter, but as the column gained popularity, both your stories and my answers expanded in length.
Consistent Themes
The top four intimacy issues for seniors, which have remained constant over the past decade, continue to drive the conversation:
1. Incompatibility of sexual needs and desires remains the most frequent topic, with challenges in communication being a significant hurdle.
2. Dating as seniors and initiating sex in new relationships presents complexities, especially for those navigating medical issues.
3. Orgasms or their lack pose a common challenge, particularly for women as our bodies change with age.
4. Sex toys have proven to be a valuable solution in many scenarios, aiding in achieving elusive orgasms.
Resources to Address Your Most Common Questions
