Subversive Knitting

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Guest author Naomi Dagen Bloom shares her concern about sexually active seniors

Safe Sex for Seniors

by Naomi Dagen Bloom

Why would a 70+ woman be wearing a Condom Amulet in New York City?

It’s not the new style for the “Sex in the City” crowd. I invented it to get your attention. I’m worried about women over 50 . New divorcees married forever, then dumped for a younger woman. I worry about women recently widowed at 65 who start dating and have never heard about STDs. Their doctors don’t tell them. No one tells them.

In Pennsylvania's Allegheny County, advocates guess the number of HIV/AIDS cases will rise among people 50-plus because the county's senior population is the second largest in the U.S. outside Palm Beach County, Florida. It’s up to you to tell your mother to carry a condom, talk to her about risky sex.

Knit her a Condom Amulet—to wear around her neck, or as a pin. “Mom, someone said this was a great way to use my odds and ends from knitting. Pretty cute, right? Couple of beads on it. Oh that? It’s a condom. You’ve been telling me how things are getting cozier with the guy at the senior center. I guess it’s my turn to talk to you about the facts of life and how HIV isn’t just about gay men.” You might save her life.

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I featured a photo of Naomi's condom amulets last year.

For more information on safe sex for seniors and HIV prevention, see:

• Intimacy and aging: Tips for sexual health and happiness from the Mayo Clinic on CNN.com

• For Seniors: How to Maintain Sexual Health and Intimacy from HealthyPlace.com

• What Are HIV Prevention Needs of Adults Over 50? from the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies at the University of California San Franciso