Horvath is quick to point out it’s not limited to retirement villages. It’s happening far more widely.

She says sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are more prevalent amid older age groups than you might expect – with unwanted pregnancies no longer an issue, some become more lax about using protection.

I spoke to Horvath on my podcast The Next Bit and our discussion was enlightening – if a little eyebrow-raising. Not because I’m a prude (although my mouth hung open and my cheeks flushed for most of it), but because none of us, at any age, like to think about what our parents get up to between the sheets.

What struck me most wasn’t the specifics (though, admittedly, some of those were what had me blushing), but the underlying message: intimacy is as much about emotional closeness as it is about the physical. And in many ways, that emotional depth only strengthens with time.

It does change, however, and there can be a lot to navigate. Physical decline. The impact of medications. Cognitive changes. Intimacy after bereavement. The attitudes and expectations of adult children.

While jokes abound about men needing help from little blue pills, that is seldom the biggest impediment.

“The main issue for older people isn’t necessarily a lack of erection or vaginal atrophy,” Horvath says. “It’s more they have sore knees, bad hips, shoulders, wrists. All those factors mean they need different strategies, different techniques to make sure they can continue to enjoy sexual activity.”

Physical attraction might get your pulse racing, but your heart needs to keep up.

“One has to have adequate cardiovascular function to withstand the rigours of sex,” says Dr Cheryl Johnson, lead geriatrician from my preventative health and wellbeing organisation, Age Brightly.

“Certain medications can also affect libido, arousal and erectile function,” Johnson says. “Blood pressure medications, antidepressants, even treatments for chronic conditions can all play a role. It’s not always something people feel comfortable raising, but it’s an important conversation to have.”

That, perhaps, is part of the problem. While we readily discuss medication side effects like nausea or fatigue, changes to sexual wellbeing are often left unspoken, endured rather than addressed.

Johnson is quick to point out that these challenges are not insurmountable. Adjustments can often be made, whether that’s reviewing medications, exploring alternatives, or simply reframing expectations around intimacy.

“It’s about working with where you are now,” she says. “Sex doesn’t have to look the same as it did at 30 or 40 to still be meaningful and enjoyable.”

She recommends asking your GP or pharmacist whether any of your medications may affect your libido or physical sexual capability, and for men, whether anything you are taking could make erectile dysfunction medication dangerous or less effective. Not exactly the stuff of romance, but very real.

“Viagra does interact with other medications, particularly those for your heart,” Johnson says. “So people who are on anti-anginal medications have to be very careful. It can also lower blood pressure, so if yours is already a bit unstable, you need to proceed with caution.”

It’s a practical reminder that, like many aspects of health in later life, intimacy does not exist in isolation. It sits alongside everything else going on in the body, and sometimes requires the same level of care, planning and open conversation.

Horvath says none of this means sex is off the menu. It simply requires “a different way of looking at your sexuality, changing the script and expanding your repertoire”.

“Sometimes your libido needs to be woken up,” she says. “Some people need environmental cues. Orgasm can change. It might take longer or require different stimulation, so exploring and embracing that is important.”

The physical side of intimacy is only part of the picture. When a partner dies, reconnecting physically and emotionally with someone new can be complex.

Horvath advises being open, but measured.

“If you go on a date and only talk about your late partner, the other person will think, what about me? Why am I here? So share a little, but not too much. And if it still feels overwhelming, you might not be ready.”

Even when you’ve navigated the physical changes, the medications and the grief, there can still be other curveballs.

Horvath believes intimacy in later life becomes more intentional. It’s less driven by impulse and more by connection. Touch, companionship, affection – these take on a heightened significance.

If we strip away the stereotypes and the discomfort, what remains is something deeply human: the desire to feel close to another person. To be seen. To be held. To be wanted.

That doesn’t retire when you do.

Tips for navigating sexual relationships in retirement

Hannah McQueen is the founder and director of Age Brightly. She is also the host of The Next Bit podcast on iHeart Radio.