Your new hip is doing great. You’re walking farther, climbing stairs, and feeling more like yourself every day. The pain is easing up, physical therapy is becoming less miserable, and you’re finally starting to believe life exists beyond ice packs and compression socks. Then a thought sneaks into your head: “Okay, but when can I have sex again?”

Sex and aging isn’t the end of pleasure, but rather a shift in how pleasure unfolds. It may require better planning, a little patience, and occasionally reading glasses. But the party? Still happening.

It’s that time when the New Year is strolling in with sparkling anticipation, and the old year is still lingering like the last guy at the Lynyrd Skynyrd concert: shirt half open, holding a warm Michelob, refusing to admit it’s over. It’s also that time when we make promises to lose a few pounds, eat “better,” exercise more, declutter the garage, you know the drill. This year, how about resolutions that actually make us smile and are fun to keep? How about making some Sex

Talking with your doctor about sex takes some planning and preparation. Below is a guide of things to do before and during the appointment to make the conversation easier and more helpful. Accept This One Crucial Truth: YOU Have to Bring It Up I cannot emphasize this enough: most doctors will not initiate a conversation about sex, especially with older patients.