Eons, the 50- plus media
company for loving life on the flipside of 50, created by Jeff Taylor, today
announced the results of its first annual Eons Sex & Intimacy Survey. The
survey sampled the opinions of more than 4,000 respondents age 50 and over,
forming a portrait of a generation that is emotionally intimate with their partner
(82 percent say they are somewhat or very emotionally close to their significant
other) and as interested as ever about sex (58 percent say sex is very or extremely
important in their lives).
"Boomers are the 'Sexual
Revolution' generation; this is part of the boomer DNA," said Taylor, founder
and CEO of Eons. "As they bound into their 50s and 60s today, they're graduating
to what they are defining as prime time for intimacy, romance and sex. The Eons
Sex & Intimacy Survey is shattering myths about the health, sex drive and
prowess of this generation. They're not settling into a sexual rut. They're
experimenting and celebrating their health and close relationships."
In its inaugural Eons Sex
& Intimacy Survey, Eons surveyed visitors to its Web site about their health,
marital status, home life and sexual activity, and their attitudes about intimacy,
romance, fantasies and lovemaking. Among the 50-64 age group that represented
most respondents - 53 percent male and 47 percent female - the Survey reveals
a generation that is exploding myths about the effects of age on sexual performance,
the importance of intimacy and romance to their overall sex lives and their
robust appetite for sex.
Among the "mythbusters"
revealed by the Eons Sex & Intimacy Survey:
* Boomers are having sex with mythbusting frequency - 59 percent are having
sex at least once a week.
* Boomers are adventurous and open to new sexual experiences - 86 percent would
be open to trying something new.
* Boomers are emotionally closer now to their partners than they have ever been,
and expect to be closer still as they get older - 57 percent responded that
they feel very close, and 41 percent expect to be even closer to their partners
in 5 years.
* Couples understand the importance of fun time (outside the bedroom) as key
to satisfying, fully rounded relationships - 84 percent spend time together
as a couple having fun.
* Menopause does little to slow down boomer sexual activity - only 15 percent
say menopause has affected their sex life "a lot."
* After sex, most boomers want to keep the intimacy growing - 69 percent like
to cuddle and talk after sex.
* Single boomers are increasingly turning to the Web to meet new people - 20
percent turn to the Internet as the best way to meet someone.
"You can see the legacy
of the 60s generation in today's boomers," said Taylor. "According
to our survey, 50-plus singles are making sex a part of their relationships
very soon, with 49 percent willing to have sex on or before the third date.
And, as you'd expect from children of the 'Free Sex' era, they've had plenty
of experience, with 47 percent telling us they've had more than 10 sexual partners
in their lives."
Dr. Robert Butler, president
and CEO of the International Longevity Center-USA and co-author of The New Love
and Sex After 60 (Ballantine Books, 2002), says the public should be better-educated
on the importance of sexuality for health, quality of life and the human experience.
"As we live longer
and more healthily, we are capable of more years of sexual and intimate expression,"
Dr. Butler said. "We need to revolutionize our thinking about what it means
to be older. It is time we have a frank discussion about sexual preferences
or problems and promote sexual self- awareness in later life. The Eons Sex &
Intimacy Survey is a valuable contribution to this important dialog."
The Eons Sex & Intimacy
Survey, which consists of 46 questions, yielded a general consensus about the
elements necessary for greater intimacy, as well as some tips for increasing
the frequency of sex in couples over 50.
Top five romance basics:
1. Talk with and express your appreciation for your partner.
2. Take better care of your body.
3. Have fun as a couple and laugh together.
4. Relive your first moments together.
5. Show more non-sexual affection.
Top five tips for getting
more after 50:
1. Get the kids out of the house.
2. Rethink the size of your bed. (Boomers who sleep in queen-sized beds
have sex more often).
3. Try sleeping naked.
4. Suggest a new sexual position or place to have sex.
5. Cuddle before and after sex.
"We found that people
over 50 don't mind talking about their sexual attitudes with their spouses and
partners," added Taylor. "We asked a very interesting question in
our survey, 'How many of your answers to this survey would you be willing to
share with your partner?' We were pleased to find that 84 percent of respondents
would discuss all their answers. This generation grew up talking about sex,
and they're still at it."
Home
