Happily partnered older adults’ relationship-enhancing behaviours.

Alison Rahn; Cary Bennett; Tiffany Jones; Amy Lykins

doi:10.1111/ajag.12731

Happily partnered older adults’ relationship-enhancing behaviours.

Alison Rahn, Cary Bennett, Tiffany Jones, Amy Lykins

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: Relationship-enhancing behaviours that contribute to older adults’ well-being are scarcely considered in “active ageing” discourses despite relationship quality having been repeatedly linked to health outcomes. This paper explores such behaviours in older adults.

Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected in 2016 from 168 partnered baby boomers (born 1946 to 1965) using an online survey. The 36 qualitative and quanti-tative questions were analysed using mixed methods.

Results: Participants were predominantly women (85%), with a mean age of 62 years (SD=5.2). Relationship-enhancing behaviours included verbal and non-verbal cues, physical affection and pleasurable sexual activities. A couple's shared bed was an important relationship setting.

Conclusion: For happily partnered older adults, relationship quality improves per-sonal well-being. As a social determinant of healthy ageing, health policies and programs are needed to support older adults’ relationship quality. To this end, the development of targeted relationship interventions for delivery in health settings is warranted.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	30-39
Number of pages	10
Journal	Australasian Journal on Ageing
Volume	39
Issue number	Suppl. 1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.12731
Publication status	Published - Jun 2020

Keywords

adult
happiness
personal satisfaction
sexual behaviour
sexual partners

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10.1111/ajag.12731Licence: Unspecified

Cite this

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title = "Happily partnered older adults{\textquoteright} relationship-enhancing behaviours.",

abstract = "Objective: Relationship-enhancing behaviours that contribute to older adults{\textquoteright} well-being are scarcely considered in “active ageing” discourses despite relationship quality having been repeatedly linked to health outcomes. This paper explores such behaviours in older adults.Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected in 2016 from 168 partnered baby boomers (born 1946 to 1965) using an online survey. The 36 qualitative and quanti-tative questions were analysed using mixed methods.Results: Participants were predominantly women (85%), with a mean age of 62 years (SD=5.2). Relationship-enhancing behaviours included verbal and non-verbal cues, physical affection and pleasurable sexual activities. A couple's shared bed was an important relationship setting.Conclusion: For happily partnered older adults, relationship quality improves per-sonal well-being. As a social determinant of healthy ageing, health policies and programs are needed to support older adults{\textquoteright} relationship quality. To this end, the development of targeted relationship interventions for delivery in health settings is warranted.",

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author = "Alison Rahn and Cary Bennett and Tiffany Jones and Amy Lykins",

year = "2020",

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doi = "10.1111/ajag.12731",

language = "English",

volume = "39",

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AU - Jones, Tiffany

AU - Lykins, Amy

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N2 - Objective: Relationship-enhancing behaviours that contribute to older adults’ well-being are scarcely considered in “active ageing” discourses despite relationship quality having been repeatedly linked to health outcomes. This paper explores such behaviours in older adults.Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected in 2016 from 168 partnered baby boomers (born 1946 to 1965) using an online survey. The 36 qualitative and quanti-tative questions were analysed using mixed methods.Results: Participants were predominantly women (85%), with a mean age of 62 years (SD=5.2). Relationship-enhancing behaviours included verbal and non-verbal cues, physical affection and pleasurable sexual activities. A couple's shared bed was an important relationship setting.Conclusion: For happily partnered older adults, relationship quality improves per-sonal well-being. As a social determinant of healthy ageing, health policies and programs are needed to support older adults’ relationship quality. To this end, the development of targeted relationship interventions for delivery in health settings is warranted.

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Happily partnered older adults’ relationship-enhancing behaviours.

Abstract

Keywords

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