Dildos, Doobies and Drum Solos: Older Americans Love Their Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll

New research pulls curtain back on the secret lives of our 55+ population

TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Look away if you have parents 55 and older because you're about to get a peek at a part of their lives that might make you squirm. To put it gently, new research from Age of Majority and Head Solutions Group dispels the myth that for Americans getting older means slowing down between the sheets or giving up their partying ways.

Nowhere is this clearer than in the bedroom where the survey of 2,500 Americans found nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of people 55+ are sexually active, with one-quarter of them having sex at least once a week and one percent having sex every day. Men 55+, so they say, are getting more than their fair share with nearly eight in 10 (78 percent) claiming they are sexually active compared to just over half (53 percent) of women in the same age group.

"The research confirms that older Americans are defying outdated perceptions about how they should behave," says Jeff Weiss, CEO of Age of Majority. "We shouldn't underestimate their willingness to experiment with new ideas or to socialize with younger generations."

Toys for older girls and boys
Americans 55+ are not just enjoying an active sex life; nearly two-thirds (65 percent) have tried sex toys or aids to keep it interesting, including nearly one-third (30 percent) who have experimented with vibrators/dildos or who have watched sex videos (29 percent). A smaller, more adventurous group have even tried restraints/ropes/handcuffs (six percent) or have played sex games (six percent).

Being older doesn't mean you're wiser when it comes to using protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Nearly six in 10 (58 percent) Americans 55+ say they don't worry about using protection for STIs, about the same percentage (57 percent) of Millennials who say this.

"These research insights merely hint at the untapped opportunities to view and engage older audiences in new ways," says Melinda Head, President of Head Solutions Group. "It is truly exciting what we can still learn about how Americans 55+ are rewriting the book on aging."

Going to pot
Older Americans aren't just finding good times in the bedroom; the research suggests greater use of cannabis is budding with this group. While only seven percent of Americans 55+ claim to have consumed cannabis in some form in the past year, four in 10 (44 percent) say they are more likely to try cannabis in any form today than five years ago. They also have a more chill attitude towards legalization of pot than younger groups. Millennials (51 percent) are more than twice as likely as Americans 55+ (24 percent) to believe cannabis should never be legalized for any reason.

Trump trumps Oprah, Beyoncé and The Stones
Older Americans have no intention of giving up the party life. Case in point, the 55+ crowd (58 percent) is more likely than Millennials (52 percent) to have consumed alcohol with family or friends in the past 12 months.  

Also revealing is their taste in the ideal party mate. The survey found older Americans would head straight to the top—politically speaking—to find the perfect person to party with. Barack Obama is the top choice overall for all age groups; however, he's second to Donald Trump with men 55+. Americans 55+ would rather party with the current POTUS than celebrities like Oprah, Beyoncé and The Rolling Stones and athletes like Tom Brady and LeBron James.

Rock and Roll, the great unifier
If you are lucky enough to party with someone 55+, what tunes would they be playing? Given it's the music they grew up with, it might not surprise that Classic Rock is their favorite genre of music, but it's also the second most popular genre of music among people under 55.

Rock and roll might just be the unifier that brings generations together with parents passing on their music to their kids. Nearly one-third (30 percent) of Americans 55+ with kids 18 or older are likely to share advice on music with their kids, and four in 10 (41 percent) Millennials are likely to seek out music advice from their parents.

Survey methodology
2,502 U.S residents participated in an online survey from August 14 to August 20, 2018. The 2,502 survey respondents sample was drawn from major regions in proportion to the U.S. Census. The statistical margin of error in this survey is ±2.0 percent, 19 cases out of 20. Head Solutions Group conducted this survey on behalf of Age of Majority.

About Age of Majority (AoM)
Age of Majority was launched after observing a huge gap in how the market perceives, portrays and engages mature consumers, based on its extensive collective management consulting, brand management and agency experience. AoM is on a mission to break the myths and to crush the stigmas and stereotypes associated with aging and to help brands identify and exploit business opportunities to grow revenue and affinity with the mature consumer audience. For more information and to download a brief research report, visit www.ageofmajority.com.

About Head Solutions Group
Head Solutions Group (U.S.) Inc. is a leading strategic insights agency with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto and London.  Head delivers deep customer insights that increase knowledge and propel business action. Age of Majority and Head Solutions Group are separate and unaffiliated firms and are not responsible for each other's services or policies. For more information visit http://headsolutionsgroup.com.

SOURCE Age of Majority