The challenges and opportunities in researching intimacy and sexuality in care homes accommodating older people: a feasibility study.
Paul Simpson, Christine Brown Wilson, Laura J E Brown and 2 others
PMID 27461845WHAT IT FOUND
Care home residents, spouses and staff often assumed older care home residents were beyond sex, but some challenged that view.
They urged researchers to sample widely and ask sensitively, using vignettes rather than personal histories.
Key findings
01The study consulted three residents, three spouses and sixteen care home staff.
02Participants described an ageist assumption that older care home residents are beyond sex, though some staff and residents resisted it.
03Participants recommended wide purposive sampling and sensitive communication, including vignettes and avoiding detailed sexual histories.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Small, regional sample in two care homes, so the themes cannot be generalised. Many residents lacked capacity to consent, so few residents were heard and they may not represent typical care home residents. The staff sample was mostly female and white British, unlike the wider care workforce. No accounts from LGB&T or non-white individuals were included. The study was about how to research sexuality and intimacy, not about testing care interventions.
Declared interests
No conflict of interest was declared. The work was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council Transformative Research initiative.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that most care home residents want sexual activity or that staff should routinely ask about sex. This is a small qualitative feasibility study about how to research a sensitive topic, not evidence of a care effect.