Sex and dementia: the intimate minefield of consent in a care home
Fantastic to see our project 'Lift the Lid' featured in The Guardian
We worked with Alzheimers Society, changing narratives around sex & intimacy in care homes for people living with dementia.
Training care workers can help break the taboo about sexual relationships between residents
Frank and Mary loved each other’s company. They would sit together and hold hands. Both had dementia and were living in a care home. Their closeness made them happy and their families were delighted.
Mary wasn’t bothered when Frank called her by his wife’s name, nor that he began to intervene in her day-to-day life. They were besotted. He started sitting her on his knee, and, after a few drinks, they could be found canoodling in the corner.
'It helps residents stay healthy': the benefits of arts in care homes
This is not a fictional scenario. It is a story told by a care home worker that touches on a taboo about dementia and sex. It is now well established that while sexuality and sexual intimacy may change with age – and dementia – they do not disappear, and positive physical relationships are good for mental health and wellbeing. With the numbers of people with dementia expected to soar from 850,000 (40,000 of them under 65) to more than one million by 2025 , the issue can no longer be allowed to hide in the shadows, campaigners argue.
Read the full article here:
