Sylvia and Paul used to have sex most days – but since Sylvia got Covid, and her energy levels have dropped, it’s now more like every 10. Which is still not bad, says Emine Saner in The Guardian, given they’re 81 and 73 respectively. The couple have been married for 32 years and sex has always been important to them – although Paul says he’d rather call it “making love”. Sylvia rolls her eyes: “He’s much more romantic than I am.”
They’re not alone: in the most recent national survey on the topic, 39% of men and 23% of women in the 65-74 age bracket said they’d been sexually active in the previous four weeks. Another randy pensioner, 71-year-old Kate, reckons she and her partner have “way better” sex than her children. “They seem very tired – kids and careers. Lindy and I just kind of skip around.”
It makes sense that this generation isn’t willing to pack it in early. Having grown up in the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 70s, baby boomers have always been more open and enthusiastic about their romantic relationships. Plus, a retirement timetable leaves plenty of space for sex sessions. “What do you get when you combine decades of experience and endless time to experiment? The best sex of your life.”