性行为的发展

老年期非常可能是性满足的时期。不过，只有设定男女悦纳他们的生理机能衰退的现实和以更深厚的亲密关系补偿的前提下，性满足才是可能的。在老年期的性满足过程中，他们必须以新的态度看待自我和对待其伴侣，并且必须调整他们早先的行为模式。例如：老龄夫妇的一个不必要的疑难问题可能是对性器官和性高潮的固着(fixation)[1]。不幸的是，在现代社会里，这种固着是社会大的文化脚本的一部分；而这种大的文化脚本由大众传媒以强调年轻、漂亮和有活力所提供和没完没了地所重复。无论如何，不加批判地采纳这个大的文化脚本，这会导致性关系曲解(distortion of sexual relationships)。对较年轻的成人来说，性关系曲解不可能很快显现。毕竟，只要年轻夫妇仍维持着其它的旺盛精力，这种性关系曲解尽管不易被察觉，它也许能够被容忍和易于处理。但是，随着年岁的步伐和精力的谈出，男女双方如果想要延续他们的性交流，可能必须重建失却的默契关系。对于上了年纪的夫妇，通常更值得去努力的事情，莫过于把全身都开发成性敏感区(erogenous zone)，莫过于利用所有形式的性交流方式，莫过于更多地全神贯注于性交流的过程而不是性交流可能的性高潮。的确，老年期也许是伴侣双方发现“性(sex)”与肉欲(eroticism)之间的差别的时候；也是正巧在他们的性反应减弱之时，他们的性欲行为变得更为满足的时候。出于这种考虑，他们追求幸福的能力可以持续终生。对于不同性别的夫妇、也对于同性的伴侣，都是如此。只要双方关系仍就完好，性交流会经历相同的变化和为个人成熟提供同样的机会。

Stages of Development: Old Age

Erotic Behavior 1

Old age can very well be a time of erotic fulfillment. However, this is possible only if women and men accept their physical decline and compensate it with deeper intimacy. In the process, they have to develop a new attitude toward themselves and their partners, and they have to modify some of their previous behavior patterns. For example: One unnecessary problem for older couples may be the fixation on the sex organs and on orgasm. Unfortunately, in our modern world, this fixation is part of a larger cultural script which is offered and endlessly repeated by the mass media with their emphasis on youth, beauty, and energy. However, if uncritically adopted, the script leads to a distortion of sexual relationships. This may not be immediately apparent to younger adults. After all, as long as a couple remains otherwise vigorous, the distortion, although dimly perceived, may seem tolerable and manageable. However, with advancing age and waning strength, females and males may have to restore the lost balance if they want to continue their sexual communication. For aging couples it is usually much more rewarding to explore the whole body as an erogenous zone, to take advantage of all forms of sexual communication, and to concentrate more on the process than on its possible climax. Indeed, old age may be a time when both partners discover the difference between “sex” and eroticism, and when their erotic behavior becomes more satisfying even as their sexual responses weaken. In this sense, their capacity for happiness may continue to grow as long as they live. This is true for couples of different sex as well as those of the same sex. As long as the relationship remains intact, it undergoes the same changes and offers the same chances for personal growth.