Healthy Sexuality & Aging Needs Assessment Project 

The NSRC is partnering with a team of Masters of Public Health students from San Francisco State University’s Department of Health Education to conduct a community assessment exploring the sexual health resource needs of elderly people residing in assisted living facilities (ALF) within the San Francisco Bay Area.

We are looking for unmarried residents, age fifty-nine-plus, as well as directors of assisted living facilities for one-on-one, one-hour interviews. Rather than inquiring about a resident or director’s personal information regarding their own sexuality and sexual experiences, questions will be solely focused on what perceived barriers and opportunities to healthy sexuality exist within a given facility. The assessment will be conducted throughout the summer with findings available in December 2009.

Ultimately, the NSRC wants to better understand how sexuality and intimate relationships among unmarried residents of ALFs occur and are responded to. This information will be used to help support the sexual health and overall well-being of residents and to ensure staff are appropriately resourced and trained to handle intimacy among residents. The NSRC, in partnership with local and national organizations, intends to take the data from this assessment and produce new sexuality resources, trainings, and policies for ALFs in San Francisco and beyond.

Health Education Assessment Team:
Ashley Beldon
Charlie DeVries
Aya Hashimoto
Igor Mocorro
Jessica Wolin, Faculty Advisor: S.F. State Department of Health Education

NSRC Supervisorial Team:
Joy O’Donnell, Director of Outreach
Ann Whidden, Communications and Internet Director

For further questions about participation within this project,
please call 415-817-4523 or email mph.sfsu@gmail.com