Intimacy in Later Life

To love and be loved is arguably one of the most powerful and fundamental driving forces sustaining self-esteem and self-identity throughout the life course. Need for reciprocal loving does not change as we grow older, despite failures of health, loss of a partner, late divorce, and alterations of personality due to the aging process. However, most studies of human sexuality have ignored the problems and developing patterns of older adults entering into new partnerships. To fi ll this gap, Intimacy in Later Life brings together a wide range of distinguished international scholars to address this neglected research area.