The issues of elder sexual abuse and sexual freedom in residential care facilities are complicated by the existence of many residents with cognitive impairments of a kind that compromise their ability to make decisions based on informed consent. The issues of elder sexual abuse and sexual freedom in faith-based residential care facilities, in particular, are further complicated by restrictive, theologically based, ethical principles pertaining to sexual activity – for instance, prohibitions on extra-marital sex and the use of prostitutes by residents. The tension that arises must necessarily deal with the integrity of faith-based aged-care facilities and current legislation that promotes the rights of age-care residents to sexual freedoms. In the midst of much public concern about the level and quality of institutional age care this particular aspect seldom attracts notice. It nevertheless exposes a quandary to do with how ought public theology and ethics respond.

由于许多居民存在认知障碍，影响他们根据知情同意做出决定的能力，因此养老机构中的老年人性虐待和性自由问题变得复杂。与性活动有关的限制性的、基于神学的、道德的原则——例如禁止婚外性行为和使用妓女——使基于信仰的寄宿护理设施中的老年人性虐待和性自由问题变得更加复杂由居民。出现的紧张局势必然涉及基于信仰的老年护理设施的完整性以及促进老年护理居民性自由权利的现行立法。在公众对机构老年护理水平和质量的关注中，这一特殊方面很少引起注意。然而，它暴露了一个与公共神学和伦理学应该如何回应有关的困境。