Eight women sitting around my living room talking about sex—all of us on the downside of 50—and even my ears burned from the sizzle of passion and rawness of confession. The idea that a contemporary women's sex drive disappears in middle or advanced age is as obsolete as the notion that women go batty in menopause. But many of us are ignorant about what changes to expect in our sexual responses during this passage, and the unforeseen consequences can drive us a little crazy! ThirdAge: Sexual Changes During Menopause Take Most Women by Surprise

Craemer, a lusty-looking California woman, told … Read More

I haven't freaked out about my age in a while. And I'm not about to. Promise! But aging does seem to be a frequent topic with my friends. I talk eye cream with Sofia, babies with Betsy, and birthdays with my sister (she will be 32 next month). 5 Things Married Women Miss

Ironically, the older I get, the less scary aging seems. I'm finding encouragement everywhere. The current issue of More magazine lists 10 celebrities who had their first babies after 40. It was a very impressive list! And it makes me feel like I still have a … Read More

Many women worry about sex after menopause—will it hurt? Will my sexual appetite vanish? The reality is that, while your body does change, you can have a vigorous, healthy sex life as you age. Today we came across an excellent, informative article about enjoying post-menopausal sex. Here are three tips for dealing with the your new body. 

Vaginal Dryness
Lower levels of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone can make sex uncomfortable, and can cause tiny tears in your anatomy. Combat this with lubricants, regular sex (both with a partner and alone), extra foreplay, and, if necessary, prescription estrogen … Read More

We live in a youth-obsessed society, where knowing that Miley Cyrus has achieved international stardom and success—and she was born in 1992—can make us feel like our most precious years are slipping away. But growing old is not something to fear.

On Monday The New York Times' "The New Old Age" blog published a piece called "6 Reasons To Grow Old," based on advice from Joshua O. Haberman, a 90-year-old rabbi. Sure, your skin may sag, your hands may shake, but growing old comes with great benefits—especially if you have someone to share your time with. Based on … Read More

Her eyes stared in listless reverie at the tiled floor of her room as a nursing assistant stopped in to empty the wastebasket. He chatted brightly with the silent woman as he straightened the bed; her glance never left the floor. Refilling her water pitcher, he left the room, saying he'd be back to bring her to dinner in an hour.

Her daughter Anne, my girlfriend, released the gentle grasp she had on her mother's hand, and fumbled inside her purse for the CD she had brought with her: a collection of songs that she and her mother had listened … Read More

In 1983, legendary Cosmopolitan editor Helen Gurley Brown released a book called Having It All, in which she outlined tips for women hoping to find success in the workplace, at home and in bed. The past 25 years have left women's plates increasingly—some might argue, precariously—overloaded, as they try to maintain healthy portions of career, love and family. In her upcoming new book, In Her Own Sweet Time: Unexpected Adventures In Finding Love, Commitment, And Motherhood, New York City journalist Rachel Lehmann-Haupt explores the expanding buffet of choices that exist for women hoping to "have it all" today. … Read More

In her book To Love What Is: A Marriage Transformed, Alix Kates Shulman writes about sticking with her husband after a fall left him permanently brain-injured. Here, Shulman talks to Tango about how she copes with aging, care-giving and embracing her life, as is.

Did you have a sense when the accident happened that your lives would be changed forever? Yes, I had that ominous feeling. But life is full of those changes--choosing a mate, choosing a career, having a baby. If you adapt, you'll be okay. If you don't, it's going to be bad.

When you were on … Read More

Want advice on sex, love, dating and relationships? Ask an expert with personal experience, or in this case, two experts. Cathi Hanauer is the author, most recently, of Sweet Ruin, a novel about love, marriage, and adultery. Daniel Jones is the editor of both the "Modern Love" column for The New York Times, and Modern Love, an anthology derived from the column. They have been married for 15 years. Together they provide a his and hers take on your questions. This round: dealing with baldness and the aging process.