The ability to freely express intimacy and sexuality is an important aspect of holistic care in older people, including those living with dementia. Sexual expression helps to form new and meaningful interpersonal relationships, enables older people to engage in sexual behaviours of significance, and can improve quality of life.

Sexual expression in older people can include a range of activities, including:

• Maintenance of physical appearance
• Proximity and physical contact, such as holding hands, hugging, cuddling, and kissing
• Displays of affection
• Flirting
• Reading or watching sexually explicit materials
• Masturbation
• Sexual intercourse

Despite the importance of being able to express intimacy and sexuality, changes to this can often occurs with aging, and particularly when an individual develops dementia. Sexual health is often a neglected component of care for older people, both with and without dementia. An older person’s expression of intimacy and sexuality can often cause embarrassment, distress, and unease for health professionals and care providers. In some instances, an interest in intimate and sexual behaviours is seen as a symptom of dementia, and the behaviour is likely to be discouraged. Despite this, older people generally desire the opportunity to discuss their preferences. Therefore, there is an identified need for a tool which enables the intimacy and sexuality preferences of an older person to be explored.