My 83-year-old mother recently confessed to me that she has never had an orgasm. My father has a terminal illness and, realistically, won’t be with us much longer. My mum is therefore slowly and, with difficulty, contemplating a life without her partner of more than 50 years. I want to help her appreciate that a life without my dad can still be fulfilling, and I wonder whether a part of that could be to discover self-pleasure. Is that possible at her age? And, if so, could it be more traumatic to discover that she lived for so long without knowing the sensation of orgasm or sharing that with her partner? Just as importantly, is this a conversation that an adult child should have with their mother, and how should I go about it?
I know a lot of people will feel uncomfortable about this, but I think it’s great that your mother is able to talk to you about these issues. She may also be wanting to impart some wisdom to you, perhaps about how important women’s pleasure is. And it’s interesting she’s spoken to you and not her friends. Did she ask for actual help? How was it couched?
