... this story is heartbreaking and infuriating. Of course the elderly are full human beings, have an evolved sexuality, and should have full access to their sexual rights.

If our legal and familial institutions are not set up to handle these realities, they need to change.

Many cultures have either formal or 'look the other way' valves to accommodate the sexuality of elderly people (unfortunately, usually only for men).

While issues of consent can get tricky, in this situation there was clearly mutual consent.

In order to respond intelligently to the challenges of helping negotiate issues when / if they are murkier, however, we must at least be comfortable acknowledging the realities of our elderly parents' sexuality. This is the least we can do -- after all, they once had to deal with our emerging sexuality.

This article is a step towards more acknowledgment and openness. Thank you for it!