Middle-income older adults who select to reside in age-segregated (AS) leisure-type retirement communities exhibit significantly more sexual interest, sexual activities, and liberal sexual attitudes than do middle-income older adults residing in age-integrated (AI) mainstream communities. Data from 314 respondents on a senior adult sexuality scale were subjected to a discriminant analysis. Sexual activities and traditional sexual interests respectively make the strongest contribution to the group differences. The implications of these findings are discussed.
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