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President/Educator & Consultant, AgeEd Adjunct Professor of Gerontology at Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI and Saint Joseph College, West Hartford, CT P.O. Box 528 Mt. Pleasant, MI 48804 cjoannegrabinski{at}earthlink.net

Still Doing It: The Intimate Lives of Women Over 65. Video/2004/54 min. Director: Deirdre Fishel. Producer: Deirdre Fishel and Diana Holtzberg in association with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and TV 2 Denmark. Mind's Eye Productions. Distributed by New Day Films, 190 Route 17M, P.O. Box 1084, Harriman, NY 10926. 888-367-9154. Available in video or DVD. Rental $75, Purchase (Institutions—Colleges/Universities) $275, (Community Groups/Public Libraries) $95.

Still Doing It: The Intimate Lives of Women Over 65 is a candid and refreshingly complex video that embeds the sexuality and sexual expression of older women within the larger issues related to stereotypes about older women, aging women's body images, and ageism at the intersection of age and gender. These issues are illustrated through remarks from a cultural historian, quotes from recognized gerontology and sexuality professionals (e.g., Ruth Weg, Ken Dychtwald, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, and the sex research team of Starr and Weiner), statistics from governmental agencies, archival black and white photographs of older women, archival film of runway fashion models, color photos of magazine covers and ads from fashion and women's magazines, and ageist greeting cards. These illustrations provide a social and historical context for the video, as well as contextual information about experiences, events, and movements (e.g., the women's liberation and gay rights' movements) that helped to shape the lives of the real "stars"—real women rather than actors—of the video.

Nine older women, ranging in age from 67 to 87, share their sexual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors with the viewer. Harriett (75), a writer, is a former artist's model who feels sex and youth goes together and, until seeing the finished video, had not yet acknowledged her own aging. Elaine (75) is a grandmother, but still sees herself as a sensual being. Ellen (68) and Dolores (70), a lesbian couple, met when Ellen was supposed to be helping Dolores meet a new man. Juanita (74) is a devoutly religious person who finds it comfortable to reconcile her sexual needs and an almost 30-year nonmarital relationship with her male partner. Ruth (67) was ready to give up on coupled sex when she met her new husband, Harry. Frances (87), now blind and in a nursing home since a hip break two years ago, had two long-term relationships before meeting David, the "love of her life" when she was 80. Freddie (75) would enjoy meeting someone new to date and, perhaps, have some kind of sexual relationship. Betty (73) met her 26-year-old lover and cohabitant in cyberspace when she was 69. Most of the women have been married at least once but were widowed or divorced. Three women currently are not in a partnered relationship; six women are either remarried or in committed nonmarital partnered relationships that include sexual intimacy. These women talk candidly about their sexual backgrounds, relationships, needs, and behaviors. They respond to questions about what it means to be a woman, an older woman, and a sexual being. They define and describe intimacy, sex, sexuality, and sensuality in their own words. Four couples—Betty and Eric, Ruth and Harry, Ellen and Dolores, Frances and David—allow views of their intimate interactions that model ways other than sexual intercourse as forms of intimacy and sexuality. Others (71-year-old Bill, Betty's lover, Juanita's granddaughter, Juanita's daughter, and a group of Harriett's friends) enrich the video's dialogue through their positive and negative reactions to the idea of older women having sexual needs and relationships.

The video's title, however, may be misleading because it may be construed that what they are still doing is sexual intercourse; and some of the women do confirm, directly or indirectly, that intercourse, with penetration, is still in their sexual repertoire. In listening carefully to what they say, however, it becomes obvious that "It" refers to a wider array of intimate and sexual behaviors for most of the women. This broader definition of sexuality fits well with research findings, albeit limited, about preferred sexual behaviors of older women.

As rich as it is, this video is not without some flaws. Among the nine women, for example, only the two Black women represent non-White racial or ethnic groups. Also, the images shown seem skewed toward the belief that older women are still sexually interested and active. Only the very brief comments, more nonverbal than verbal, of two of Harriett's friends suggest otherwise. Failing to present more varied images misrepresents the true picture of older women's sexual interests, needs, thoughts, and behaviors. Some barriers to older women's sexual involvement are covered more thoroughly (e.g., body image, religious sanctions, societal stereotypes, availability of a suitable partner); but other barriers (e.g., reactions of other family members and/or friends, lack of privacy and access to adequate and appropriate space, likelihood that the older woman may need to be the pursuer rather than the one pursued) receive only limited attention. Although it may have lengthened the video or required cuts elsewhere, it would have been enriching to hear even more from the three male partners shown.

While the video may be a bit too explicit and candid for some viewers, this reviewer found the very brief scenes of partial or full nudity and sexual interplay to be helpful in understanding the body images and sexual history of these women. Put into the context of these women's lives, these scenes and the women's self-introspection about what shaped their sexual needs and behaviors in later life should help the viewer to realize that what they are viewing and hearing is more about continuity and change than aberration.

The reviewer teaches an array of gerontology courses in which this video could be used, including courses on intimacy, sexuality and aging, elders and their families, and women and aging. As well, it would be interesting to use the video as a basis for discussions about ageism in courses such as sociology of aging, lifespan or life course development, and psychosocial aspects of aging. It also would contribute considerable richness to community-based educational programs and support groups for older women, older couples, and their families, as well as in staff education and training programs for personnel who work directly with older adults in medical, social services, and long-term agencies and facilities. Regardless of the venue in which the video is used, however, there needs to be adequate time to set the stage before viewing and debrief participants afterwards with regard to life-course sexuality and continuity or change in sexual behavior across elderly women's lives so that the nudity and candid comments of the women are not taken out of context. The video is meant to inform, educate, and trigger discussion, not just titillate. The video's length (54 min) may seem prohibitive, although it could be viewed in segments that would allow immediate discussion at key points in the video.

In spite of the concerns mentioned, this video is an excellent addition to the "film literature" on intimacy, sexuality, and aging. It fits well among already existing films and videos such as For Better or Worse, Tonight's the Night, Daughter of the Bride, As Time Goes By, A Thousand Tomorrows, and its sequel, More Than A Thousand Tomorrows. To this growing collection, however, there is need for additional documentary film and video resources that explore other aspects of late-life intimacy and sexuality, especially comparable coverage of older men's sexuality and intimate relationships.

Still Doing It recently received the first ever Margaret E. Condon Memorial Award presented by Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago for the fresh perspective the video brings to issues of aging. Future screenings of the video include one at the joint 2006 ASA-NCOA conference in Anaheim. Further information about the video and filmmaking team, along with purchase information, is available at www.stilldoingit.com.

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