Communication
and Intimacy in
Older Adulthood

What is intimacy? As one older woman in this book explains, Intimacy is . . . "warmth, satisfaction, closeness, connection, friendly, touching, caring, spiritual union, emotional union, feeling safe and secure, sharing daily lives, a sense of understanding and a patient attitude, being there for each other, being partners and a team . . . all kinda intertwined."

 

This book reviews social science research on the nature of intimacy in older adulthood and makes the argument that intimacy may best be understood as a communicative process involving the constant negotiation of the level, type and physical manifestation of that intimacy. Certain communication skills that help us to maintain our close relationships can help us to understand how intimacy can be achieved in later life.  Interviews with older adults are interwoven across chapters to illustrate key points.