Sex and Love Among Older Adults in the Digital World: A Scoping Review
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 5, 2025

Validation of a Psychosocial Intervention on Body Image in Older People: An Experimental Design
Published on: May 31, 2021
Ateret Gewirtz-Meydan1, Eugenia Opuda2, Liat Ayalon3
1School of Social Work, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences University of Haifa, Israel.
Background And Objectives:
The digital world offers opportunities for sex and love and also reflects societal stereotypes regarding sex and love among older adults. The aim of the current review is to look at the ways older adults use digital media for sex and love and also at digital media's representations of older adults.
Research Design And Methods:
We searched for studies published in English that used qualitative and/or quantitative methods, with findings based on empirical data from individuals 55 years of age or older. The following data sets were searched: PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and CINAHL. Bibliographies of all relevant studies were searched. Titles and abstracts were reviewed, and selected articles were extracted independently by 2 reviewers.
Results:
A total of 1,819 records were retrieved. After removing duplicates, 1,488 records remained. Of these, 70 records remained for full-text screening, and a final count of 15 records was included for synthesis.
Discussion And Implications:
The present review highlights major research gaps in the field. Although studies have indeed focused on the online dating scene among this cohort, they have ignored older adults' sexuality in favor of other aspects (e.g., love and companionship). Representations of this cohort in terms of love and sex are also lacking, and diversity is hardly addressed. Additional research is needed to examine how older adults use digital media for reasons related to love and sex, and how the media mirrors societal stereotypes regarding sex and love among older adults.
More Related Videos
10:13Assessment of Age-related Changes in Cognitive Functions Using EmoCogMeter, a Novel Tablet-computer Based Approach
Published on: February 14, 2014
11:21Methodology for Establishing a Community-Wide Life Laboratory for Capturing Unobtrusive and Continuous Remote Activity and Health Data
Published on: July 27, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Relationship Formation
Emerging Adulthood
Cognitive Development During Adulthood
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
Erikson's Theory on Socioemotional Development during Adulthood
Intimacy Versus Isolation in Early Adulthood
Individuals in early...
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination