Last night I took my mother to see the new film Book Club: The Next Chapter, starring Jane Fonda (85), Candice Bergen (77), Diane Keaton (77), and Mary Steenburgen (70).
I had no idea walking into the theater that this film would resolve any lingering doubts I have about publishing the soon-to-be-released Divabetic’s ebook about intimacy and diabetes for women entitled Sweet Romance: A Woman’s Guide To Love & Intimacy With Diabetes by two leading experts, Janis Roszler MS, RD, LD/N, CDCES, FAND and Donna Rice MBA, BSN, RN, CDCES, FAADE. Hollywood’s crude depiction of older women only fueled my desire to provide accurate, honest, and friendly help about this important topic for women with diabetes.
I enjoyed the first film and looked forward to seeing the sequel. The new movie follows the journey of four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls’ trip they never had. But it wasn’t as good as the first film.
After the movie, we went to a piano bar for dinner. There was a group of eight older women at a nearby table. None of these women resembled the four women we saw on screen. On top of being several dress sizes smaller than the group of piano bar women, the four movie stars were crude, constantly drinking alcohol, and seemed only interested in talking or having sex.
The film’s depiction of older women could have been more realistic. What I hoped would be an empowering big-screen event for a female ensemble cast whose average age is 77 is sadly a letdown. Plus, they barely discussed any books. What made the first film so much fun was seeing these four women find ease and comfort in talking about and experiencing intimacy after reading 50 Shades Of Grey.
The Nex Chapter’s plot focuses on eternally single Vivian (Fonda) getting married, and her best pals Diane (Keaton), Sharon (Bergen), and Carol (Steenburgen) take her on a bachelorette trip to Rome, Venice, where hijinks ensue. The trip’s inspiration comes from 1988’s mystical self-help parable, the Alchemist. The movie’s plot hinges on the book’s central theme of fate versus taking control of your destiny.
Unfortunately, Hollywood thinks America’s idea of entertainment is seeing old ladies misbehaving or talking dirty. This is why I feel it’s essential to publish our book and help women of a certain age living with diabetes get honest advice about sexual health issues.
Jane Fonda’s roles lately are all crude women with filthy mouths, just like Diane Keaton’s characters are all as cooky as her wardrobe on and off-screen.
Her dialogue consists of double-entendres such as, ‘Give him his credit, he’s 2,000 years old, and he’s still hard as a rock,’ when she looks at a Roman statue.
In reality, men with diabetes are three times more likely to have erectile dysfunction (ED). Getting older doesn’t cause ED, but it does increase your chance of getting it. It would have been interesting to see her character, Vivian, find creative solutions to coping with her lover, Don Johnson’s issues if he had ED in the bedroom.
As an older actress, she seems determined to show people that women over a certain age are still sexually active singlehandedly. Her film roles, Book Club, Book Club: The Next Chapter, and 80 For Brady, seem to exist for this sole purpose. I admire her work in the TV series Grace and Frankie for how she and her co-star, Lily Tomlin, handle this subject.
But on the big screen, Jane Fonda’s characters miss the mark. Candice Bergen, whose face and shape are the most realistic depiction of actual older women, seems unconvincingly comfortable having a one-night stand in a Venetian gondola.
On the one hand, I want to say, “Good for her,” but on the other hand, I want to point out how unrealistic and irresponsible this scene is. For one thing, there’s no mention of condoms. As a gay man living in San Francisco during the height of the AIDS crisis, I was constantly told by friends and strangers to use protection. Sadly, people who gave me the advice seem to not heed it for themselves.
Statistics published in 2018 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have shown that the number of new HIV infections is growing faster in individuals over 50 than in people 40 years and under,and HIV may be the tip of the iceberg.
Older Women and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs)
The aging process also puts older adults at greater risk for STDs. The immune system declines as people age, making them more susceptible to infectious diseases.
After menopause, women’s vaginal tissues thin, and natural lubrication decreases. This can increase the risk of micro-tears and sexual transmission of certain diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
Secondly, the lack of natural lubrication, often called ‘vaginal dryness’ in older women, is common. This is especially true for women with diabetes. If you’re experiencing vaginal dryness, then sex will be painful, regardless if you’re in a bed or on a gondola.
Hollywood’s constant stream of unrealistic portrayals of real-life older women is more reason for accurate, friendly information about intimacy for women with diabetes. Hopefully, when it’s available, you will download a copy of Divabetic’s upcoming ebook, Sweet Romance, on Amazon.
Can’t wait for the book to come out? Need advice now?
Tune in to this Divabetic podcast; Mr. Divabetic explores issues of love, intimacy, and diabetes on this special one-hour podcast. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can lead to sexual health complications, including vaginal dryness, sensation, and performance. Up to 50% of men and 25% of women may experience some sexual problem or a loss of sex drive.
Don’t equate sexual performance with love or a fulfilling relationship; focus on letting your partner know you care and want to give pleasure as part of your relationship.
Mr. Divabetic’s Guests include Best-Selling Author Lisa Eugene, Jennifer Martsolf from Trigg Laboratories (the makers of Wet Lubricants), and Janis Roszler MS, RD, LD/N, CDCES, FAND (2008-2009 Diabetes Educator of the Year (AADE).
Suppose you or your partner is experiencing sexual difficulties. In that case, you may find it helpful to meet with a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, marriage counselor, or sex therapist. These professionals can help you learn how to reduce stress and change behaviors and attitudes, mainly when impotence is caused by stress or other mental health issues.
GLAM MORE FEAR LESS: Join Divabetic’s growing Facebook and Twitter communities. We’re celebrating almost 20 years of presenting diabetes educational outreach that dazzles!
We’re excited to announce our December edition of Diabetes Late Nite. Sara (Dr. Mandy) Wilson Reece, PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM is Vice-Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and will stop by the studio to talk about HIV and Diabetes while Kelly Clarkson provides musical inspiration. Join us here on Tuesday, December 4, 2018 from 6 – 7:30 PM.
Wrapped In Red, Kelly Clarkson’s holiday album, inspires us to talk about all things ‘red’ such as the iconic red ribbon worn as a symbol for the solidarity of people living with HIV/AIDS. People with HIV are more likely to have type 2 diabetes than people without HIV and some HIV medicines may increase blood glucose levels and lead to type 2 diabetes.
World AIDS Day is December 1, a fitting occasion to speak with Dr. Mandy about the link between HIV medications and diabetes prior to our podcast interview.
Q: I’ve read that some HIV medicines may increase blood glucose levels and lead to type 2 diabetes. Can you explain why could happen?
Dr. Mandy Reece: Some HIV medication cause insulin resistance with insulin deficiency which increases risk for Type 2 diabetes. Specifically, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) (zidovudine, stavudine and didanosine) and protease inhibitors (indinavir and lopinavir/ritonavir) increase risk for Type 2 diabetes.
Q: Do you feel people taking HIV medicines should check their blood glucose? If so, what do you recommend?
Dr. Mandy Reece: Yes, they should check their blood glucose before they start their medication and then every few months as recommended by the U.S. Department of Health.
According to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is recommended to have either fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1c when entering into care for HIV, initiating or modifying antiretrovial therapy and annually if glucose or A1c were in target range at least measurement. Target range is < 5.7% for hemoglobin A1c and <126 mg/dL fasting blood glucose.It is advised to have fasting blood glucose or hemoglobin A1c tested every 3 – 6 months if above target range at last measure.
Q:Dealing with two or more chronic conditions could be complicated and time consuming. What medication organizing tips can you recommend to help make life more manageable?
Dr. Mandy Reece: Personally, my favorite tool for organizing medications is a pill box where medication is stored by day and time of day.It is easy to identify visually if medication has been taken.Many pharmacies have medical refill reminder calls which work wonderfully if you get all of your medications from the same pharmacy. Pharmacies can utilize a medication synchronization system which allows for your getting all refills at same time.Additionally, there various apps such as Round Health, Medisafe -Pill & Med Reminder and Pill Reminder – All in One would provide digital reminder system.Services such as PillPack sorts and organizes medication by dose and timing each dose with monthly delivery.
Q: With the holidays quickly approaching what advice can you give to people about managing their medications during this busy time of year?
Dr. Mandy Reece: Taking time to get organized is absolutely key.An easy way to get organized is to using a pill box or service such PillPack to organize your medications, and utilizing reminder system to follow through on taking medications.Ensure that you have at least a 10 day supply of medication on hand at all times is essential.Remember keeping your health a priority hence taking your medication during this busy season is key as it has lasting effects that you will not see or feel in the moment.
Q: Holiday travel can lead to long delays and/or missing luggage. What advice can you give to traveler’s
Dr. Mandy Reece: Always pack all of your medications in your carry bag rather than checked luggage.It is absolutely vital to have your medication available at all times.
Sara (Dr. Mandy) Wilson Reece, PharmD, CDE, CDE, BC-ADM, vice-chair and associate professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. ‘Dr. Mandy’ shares practical information about medications for people living with diabetes on her blog, Reece’s Pieces. Follow her on Twitter @ReecesPiecesDi and Instagram ReecesPiecesDI
Don’t miss December’s Diabetes Late Nite podcast featuring music from Kelly Clarkson’s Wrapped In Red album courtesy of SONY Music on Tuesday, December 4, 2018, 6 PM, EST.
Kelly Clarkson’s inspiring us to lend our ‘voice’ to topics such as the link between HIV medications and type 2 diabetes, how the homeless manage diabetes, great gift ideas for loved ones with diabetes, and how you can lose weight during holidays (!). Plus, one lucky listener tries their luck during Mr. Divabetic’s ‘Wrapped In Red’ Health Game challenge. Guests include Poet Lorraine Brooks, Kathy Gold RN, MSN, CDE, FAADE, Glucose Delivery Necklace co-creator Kris Maynard, Dr. Sara (Mandy) Reece, PharmD, CDE, BC=ADM, BCACP, FAADE, Maria Sakowitz, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT, Mama Rose Marie and the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach.
Diabetes Late Niteis a fast-paced, full-filled hour of diabetes education and wellness advice that encourages listeners to “laugh a little, learn a lot.”
