By Jennifer Prescott
February 7, 2022.
Sex and dementia are often perceived as unlikely bedfellows. In many cases, care partners assume a person living with dementia loses interest in sex or loses their ability to be a sexual being. In other instances, care partners (and other loved ones) feel uncomfortable just thinking about the subject. But dementia specialist Danuta Lipinska is working to dismantle these stereotypes by facing the taboo topic head on.
These conversations eventually led her to write two books, the latest of which was published in 2017 and speaks candidly about sex and dementia. Aptly titled Dementia, Sex and Wellbeing, the book dives into the topic of dementia and sex through a person-centred lens by discussing the biological need for sex, the sexualized circumstances care partners may find themselves in, how to respond to those sexual expressions, and how to have progressive conversations while encouraging self-reflection.
Here, Lipinska shares some of the insights from her groundbreaking book, along with tips on how care partners can better respect and accommodate the sexual rights of people living with dementia.
