There are several psychosocial factors affect the sexual functioning of older people.  For instance, surveys on sex and aging conclude that sexual behaviour and attitudes in old age reflect lifelong patterns.   Consequently those who are most sexually active in their younger years tend to continue this pattern in their later years, while negative attitudes learned when young can seriously impair the ability to enjoy sex in later life.  While 50%  of men and 66% of women 75 and older agree that "people should not have a sexual relationship if they are not married," people now aged between 45 and 59 are more accepting of sex outside of marriage - leading to predictions that they will be less likely to abstain from sex later in life after losing their partners. 

Major changes in role and lifestyle, such as retirement, bring with them problems of adaptation.  Having been amongst colleagues in an atmosphere where initiative, activity and performance are valued, a retired person may well have a lot of adjustment to do.  If, at around the same time, they experience changes in sexual desire or performance,  they may feel a loss of self esteem.  

At the same time, the physical changes wrought by aging can affect body image and the ability to feel attractive to the opposite sex.   And partners in a long-term marriage can feel  uninspired  by the “sameness” of it all after many years together, which again may adversely affect their sexual relationship.

Another point influencing sexual functioning of the elderly is opportunity, in terms of both availability of partners and privacy.

Gender differences in life expectancy mean that there are many more women than men over the age of 65, so older heterosexual women have more limited opportunity for sexual expression than older men.   And, for both sexes, a loveless relationship or marriage in the middle years can undermine sexual experience when a later opportunity arises.
 
The lack of time alone and private space in nursing homes is also a major obstacle to sexual expression. Not surprisingly, older residents report that, because of a lack of privacy and inhibiting staff attitudes, they have little opportunity to experience intimacy.  

Professionals involved in the provision of health services to older people need to be aware of including sexuality in the promotion of mental and physical health.   Part of their job is to dispel negative myths, stereotypes, and self-fulfilling attitudes in older people, and to promote the perception that full sexual expression is part of the entire extent of adulthood.  Fortunately, increasing education among health workers has been accompanied by a recent trend toward more accepting attitudes on these issues, both in institutions and in the wider community.

senior-site.com
"Senior-Site" offers relevant information for seniors on a number of topics. Information can be accessed through the site map located on the home page. A list of relevant topics for seniors is listed including an area devoted to sex and senior citizens. Sexual topics include sexually transmitted diseases, impotence, "good" sex, sex over 50, contraceptives, and reflections on sex. The site is user friendly and the information contained within each topic area is accessible and potentially useful to both older adults as well as health and human service providers. The information appears relevant and well researched but the site offers no references, contains only brief information, and is not maintained by an expert in the field.
www.agepage.com/sex.htm
www.wellweb.com/impotent/chris/sexual.htm
Both of these sites ("Sexuality in Older Adults" and "Sexuality in Later Life" respectively) contain the same information presented by The National Institute on Aging (NIA). The NIA is a branch of the National Institute of Health (NIH) that conducts biomedical research for the United States government. The article gives statements regarding sexuality in later life concerning normal physical changes with age, effects of illness and disability, emotional concerns, and other issues including AIDS, medicine, and masturbation. The sites are user friendly and the information can be read in only a few minutes. Both sites lack complete information but may be a good start to introduce the issues of sexuality and aging to health professionals and clients alike.
www.umkc.edu/sites/hsw/age/index.html
This site, "The Human Sexuality Web" is maintained by counseling psychology graduate students at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. The information is brief but informative. The site covers physical changes in the aging male and female, effects of some common medications, and other sexual health issues. Unlike other sites, this site contains information about social issues and other influences that impact the sexuality of aging adults. Additional information at this site offers suggestions on how to cope with changes in body and mind as one ages. Finally, a list of additional high quality references are provided for future reading. The information is presented in a clear format and is easy to navigate.