Romantic love, Sex and intimacy in later life, IVF on the NHS, All-women art shows

Available for over a year

The ideals of romantic love are unrealistic in the long term, according to Alain de Botton, author of The Course of Love. He joins Jane, along with comedian Luisa Omielan, who is still holding out for Mr Right. New research challenges the commonly held view that older people are not particularly sexually active or interested in intimate sexual relationships. Josie Tetley, Professor of Nursing at Manchester Metropolitan University, discusses her findings. They are joined by agony aunt Virginia Ironside. The NHS in Richmond, Surrey has launched a public consultation into restricting IVF treatment to couples "with exceptional medical circumstances", such as HIV, hepatitis or cancer. It is the latest of many Clinical Commissioning Groups around the country to consider reducing or cutting services entirely to meet budget challenges. Jane is joined by Susan Seeman, Chief Executive of Fertility Network UK, and Barbara McLean, Chief Nursing Officer for NHS Ipswich and for East Suffolk and NHS West Suffolk CCG, who considered reducing IVF services last year. Two female artists from different generations, Eileen Cooper, painter and the first woman to be elected as Keeper of the Royal Academy, and the multimedia artist Phoebe Boswell, discuss the significance and importance of all-women art shows. And, from the Woman's Hour archive, women from 1956 discuss their ideal husband.