;
Compared to all the attention
paid to how the baby boomer generation is aging and preparing for retirement,
relatively little has been said about how their relationships are faring.
According to a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive(R) of 2,000 married
baby boomer men and women aged 40-70, when it comes to the success of their
relationships, 84 percent of baby boomers(1) rank physical intimacy(2) as being
important or very important. In fact, the number of boomers in the survey who
rank physical intimacy as important to a successful relationship is higher than
having enough money (72 percent) or even good health (78 percent).(3)
The survey also found that only half (50 percent) of boomers surveyed are
satisfied with the physical intimacy in their relationship, and 41 percent of
men and 43 percent of women desire more emotional intimacy(4) in their
relationships. With so much room for improvement, it may be time for baby
boomers to assess their rIQ (Relationship Intelligence Quotient).
Lilly ICOS LLC (NYSE: LLY and Nasdaq: ICOS), the maker of Cialis(R) (tadalafil),(5)
has launched the rIQ campaign to help couples gain insight into the role of
emotional and physical intimacy. rIQ includes advice from relationship experts
and best-selling authors
host, and
talk-show host. The campaign also includes the rIQ quiz that men and women can
take to learn about their own relationship intelligence.
"For a lot of boomers, sex is expected, anticipated, valued and an important
part of life. Not only are they living longer, looking better, and feeling
peppier, but they want it all — great sex, emotional closeness, and intimacy in
all its glory, even while maintaining busy, active, physical, fulfilling,
challenging (occasionally stressful) lives well beyond what their grandparents,
or even parents could have dreamed," said
callers to my radio program nearly every day. Boomers want emotional and
physical intimacy, yet many are unclear about what to do specifically when they
don’t have the happiness, success, and closeness in the bedroom that they view
as their birthright."
The Sexual Evolution
Fifty-eight percent of baby boomers rate the overall quality of their
relationship as "excellent," but 44 percent of the baby boomers surveyed admit
the physical intimacy in their relationship is worse now than when the
relationship first began. This feeling was shared by both sexes, with 66 percent
of male participants and 44 percent of females wishing for more physical
intimacy with their partner.
Satisfaction with physical intimacy seems to have a direct impact on how
satisfied baby boomers are emotionally. Importantly, those who had sex more
often — once a week or more — were substantially more likely to be satisfied
with their emotional intimacy.
* According to the survey, 76 percent of baby boomers who have sex once or
more per week are satisfied with their relationship’s emotional intimacy. In
contrast, only 54 percent of those who have sex once or a few times per month,
and 41 percent of those who engage in sex only a few times a year or less, are
satisfied with their emotional intimacy.
* Survey participants who are satisfied with the physical intimacy in their
relationship are three times more likely to report being satisfied with their
relationship’s emotional intimacy than those who report feeling dissatisfied
with physical intimacy.
What’s Preventing Boomers From Being Physically Intimate?
Baby boomers are most likely to cite "being tired" as a barrier to physical
intimacy. In fact, 67 percent of men and 59 percent of women experienced this
barrier. Stress and anxiety are barriers for 47 percent of men and 41 percent of
women. Work/job rounded out the top three barriers, affecting 38 percent of men
and 31 percent of women.(6)
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is also identified as a barrier to physical
intimacy. Nearly four out of 10 men and women (37 percent) surveyed say they
have experienced ED in their relationship. ED affects not only the physical
intimacy in these relationships but the emotional intimacy as well. Over half of
boomers (55 percent) who experienced ED in their relationship feel physical
intimacy declined, and 35 percent say their emotional intimacy declined.
"Whether a relationship barrier is stress, poor communication or a condition
such as erectile dysfunction, physical intimacy can be hindered and affect the
overall relationship," said
recognition and appropriate treatment, this barrier can cause serious harm in a
relationship. We know, as this boomer survey affirms, that physical and
emotional intimacies are inextricably linked. Both are so essential to building
and nurturing healthy and happy relationships."
barrier. Treatment options are available. A man and his partner should consider
talking to a doctor to determine if a medication or another therapy could help."
How Do Baby Boomers Keep Intimacy Alive?
The survey findings also shed light on what baby boomers feel are crucial
steps for a successful and intimate relationship. Approximately 53 percent of
baby boomers say "couple time," or time spent only with their partner, is the
best way to keep intimacy alive in their relationship.(7)
another, make time away from work and remove barriers to spending quality time
together, just the two of them. This should be time set aside to focus on why
they are together — what they valued and still value about each other."
According to Drs. Browne and Berkowitz, the cornerstone of a successful
relationship is actively communicating and listening so that problems can be
raised and openly discussed. Nearly all survey respondents (98 percent) say good
communication is the key for a successful relationship.
Those curious about their own rIQ can visit
www.cialisrIQ.com and obtain relationship
tips from Drs. Browne and Berkowitz, view interesting survey statistics, and
assess their own Relationship IQ score by taking a short rIQ quiz.
Survey Overview
The survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive on behalf of Lilly ICOS
LLC among 1,012 men and 1,013 women ages 40 to 70 in committed (five or more
years) romantic relationships within the
region and income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with
their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting also was
used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online.
With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is
possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other
sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability
sample of 2,025 adults, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the
overall results have a sampling error of +/- 3.2 percentage points and +/- 4.4
percentage points each for the men and women samples. Sampling error for the
various sub-sample results is higher and varies. However, that does not take
other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a
probability sample
REFERENCES
(1) "Baby boomer" refers to survey participants aged 40-70.
(2) Physical intimacy is defined as physical closeness such as hand- holding,
kissing, cuddling and sexual intercourse.
(3) rIQ Survey Results Report, Harris Interactive, sponsored by Lilly ICOS
LLC. The survey asked more than 2,000 married U.S. baby boomer men and women (aged
40-70) about the emotional and physical state of their romantic relationships.
(4) Emotional intimacy is defined as the non-physical components of personal
connection in close romantic relationships, like mutual communication and
understanding, as well as the sharing of personal hopes, fears and desires with
each other.
(5) Cialis(R) is a registered trademark of Lilly ICOS LLC.
(6) rIQ Survey Results Report, Harris Interactive, sponsored by Lilly ICOS
LLC.
(7) rIQ Survey Results Report, Harris Interactive, sponsored by Lilly ICOS
LLC.
(8) Data were extrapolated from Feldman HA, Goldstein I, Hatzichristou DG,
Krane RJ. Impotence and its Medical and Psychosocial Correlates: Results of the
Massachusetts Male Aging Study, Journal of Urology. Vol. 151, 54-61,
Nations (2002 Revision) with indirect standardization.
(9) Shabsigh, R. (2002). Back To Great Sex: Overcome ED and Reclaim Lost
Intimacy. New York: Kensington.
SOURCE Lilly ICOS LLC