Story highlights 40% of Americans between ages 65 and 80 are sexually active, according to a new national poll

17% of older adults said they have talked with their doctor about sexual health in the past two years

Ian Kerner is a licensed couples therapist, writer and contributor on the topic of sex for CNN.

(CNN) The romantic lives of senior citizens are rarely portrayed on television or film, and the very idea them having sex is typically met with doubt or derision. Yet the stereotype that older people are largely asexual is false, according to findings from the recent National Poll on Aging.

Conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, the poll of more than 1,000 Americans found that 40% of those between ages 65 and 80 are sexually active. Regardless of whether they have a romantic partner, two-thirds of respondents say they're interested in sex, and more than half say that sex is important to their quality of life.

Such findings don't come as a surprise to my colleagues. "Although it is true that our sexual functioning changes as we age, the idea that the 'good old days' are behind us is simply incorrect," sex therapist Kimberly Resnick Anderson said. "I treat men and women well in to their 80s who want to improve and maintain their sexual health and satisfaction."

Psychologist Rachel Needle added, "there is this myth that the elderly are not having or are not interested in having sex. We are all sexual beings from birth to death. Our sexuality does change throughout our lives -- but that doesn't mean it changes for the worse."

Indeed, sex can and does remain a satisfying part of life for many older people, although what that means can differ from person to person and can evolve over time. For instance, seniors may be less concerned with actual intercourse than with the feelings of closeness that accompany sex.

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