K-State helps nursing home staff become comfortable with residents' sexual ...(pital beds. One spouse had to have a leg...),Health

"But someone who had been to our presentation encouraged everyone to move the furniture," Cornelison said.

The researchers said that sexuality and nursing home residents brings up issues beyond just acknowledging and accommodating sexual expression. HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases can be concerns for a generation that may have not have the same awareness that younger people do.

Also, adult children may have concerns about their parent's safety or how a new relationship will affect the family or their inheritance. The researchers are developing materials to help family members deal with these questions.

"What they fear is exploitation or that the role the parent played will go away," Doll said.

In addition, Alzheimer's and dementia raise questions about the ability to consent, and these conditions also may spur sexual behavior that's inappropriate.

"Even though we advocate for residents' rights, there are things that are inappropriate," Doll said. "But staff must be able handle this without residents feeling embarrassed. Inappropriate behavior can just come from people needing relationships, not necessarily sexual ones."

Doll said the researchers hope to see federal guidelines developed to help all nursing homes deal with sexuality in a positive way, especially as baby boomers age and bring their attitudes about sex with them to the nursing home.

"Nursing homes are the second most regulated industry next to nuclear power, and yet these regulations don't address sexuality," Doll said.

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