Page 119 - GHES-3-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability

PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE
The issue of intimacy in long-term care for

people with dementia: A nursing perspective

2†
Liliana Sousa 1† , Celso Silva * , and Mónica Lopo Tomaz 3
1 Montemor-0-Novo Basic Emergency Service, Local Health Unit Alentejo Central, EPE, Évora,
Portugal
2 Department of Health Department, School of Health, Polytechnic Institute of Beja, Beja, Portugal
3 School of Management, Hospitality and Tourism, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal

Abstract

Sexuality and intimacy are often overlooked in long-term care settings, especially
for elderly individuals with dementia, despite their significant role in emotional
well-being and quality of life. This article explores the ethical, professional, familial,
and organizational challenges caregivers face in supporting sexual expression in
dementia care. This article also discusses the importance of respecting residents’
† These authors contributed equally autonomy while ensuring their safety and emphasizes the need for proper staff
to this work. training, family involvement, and clear institutional policies to provide a supportive
Academic editor: care environment. This article aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on
Mihajlo Jakovljevic M.D. Ph.D. MAE improving dementia care practices by offering actionable recommendations that
*Corresponding author: promote intimacy as a core element of person-centered care.
Celso Silva
(celsosilva30@gmail.com)
Keywords: Intimacy; Dementia care; Long-term care
Citation: Sousa L, Silva C, &
Tomaz ML. (2025). The issue
of intimacy in long-term care for
people with dementia: A nursing
perspective. Global Health Econ 1. Introduction
Sustain, 3(3):111-116.
https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.5130 The issue of sexuality and intimacy among individuals with dementia in long-term care
Received: October 12, 2024 is both significant and underexplored. Despite evidence highlighting the importance of
sexual expression for emotional well-being and quality of life, these needs are frequently
Revised: January 20, 2025
overlooked in institutional settings. This oversight is rooted in societal taboos, agism, and
Accepted: January 24, 2025 the unique challenges presented by dementia, such as cognitive decline and diminished
Published online: February 7, capacity for consent.
2025
The prevalence of dementia varies significantly across regions and demographic
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). groups, reflecting a complex interplay of factors such as age, sex, and geographic location.
This is an Open Access article Globally, dementia is a growing concern, particularly in aging populations, with prevalence
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution rates differing based on methodological approaches and regional characteristics. The
License, permitting distribution, following sections provide a detailed overview of dementia prevalence as reported in
and reproduction in any medium, various studies.
provided the original work is
properly cited. Globally, a systematic review and meta-analysis reported a pooled prevalence of all-
Publisher’s Note: AccScience cause dementia at 697/10,000 individuals aged 50 and older, with Alzheimer’s disease and
Publishing remains neutral with vascular dementia being the most significant subtypes (Cao et al., 2020). The prevalence
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional of dementia increases with age, with a dramatic rise in individuals aged 100 years and
affiliations. older compared to those aged 50 – 59 (Cao et al., 2020).

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 111 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.5130