SHANGHAI, March 21 -- When the city's first sex hotline for the middle-aged and elderly opened in August, operators quickly found out that many of their callers' biggest problem was loneliness.

In response, the hotline, run by No. 411 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army, said yesterday it planned to organize events to give their single callers a chance to find new friends - and perhaps something more lasting.

"Sex is an important part of healthy living, even if a person has passed through the menopause. (Through the hotline) we wanted to give proper direction to people with sexually related diseases and problems," said Dr Bai Yingtang, director of the hospital's male disease department and head of the hotline. "However, one-third of the some 5,000 calls we have received have been from single people complaining about physical and psychological depression due to a lack of proper communication with anybody. They want us to help them find a husband or a wife."

The hospital will hold lectures on sex and health where guests can mingle with other participants.

The hospital also said it might organize a trip to the city's sex museum on the Bund.

Hotline operators have also fielded calls from many people with misunderstandings about sex, Bai said.

"Influenced by the traditional concepts, most elderly people are too shy and conservative to talk about sex problems or ask questions to their doctors," the doctor said. "Some callers don't ask sex-related questions until they have spent 20 minutes talking about other diseases and family disputes.

"Many callers think it inappropriate for the elderly to have sexual feelings and worry that such feelings are bad for their health."

According to doctors, a regular sex life can help keep elderly people healthy and prolong lifespan.

The hotline can be reached on 5696-9799.