Aging

The Quick Reference Card for Managing Older Adults with HIV was developed out of the New York State Dept. of Health AIDS Institute Office Of The Medical Director. To obtain a copy, access www.hivguidelines.org. The AIDS Institute determined HIV and Aging as a priority over ten years ago. The number of people with HIV infection who are over 50 years of age is climbing. HIV Primary Care Specialists have demonstrated success in the integration of primary care into their practices for more than a decade.

In the US the HIV population is aging. By 2015 half of the over 1.4 million people infected with HIV will be age 50 and older. Each day 80 more people become part of this older adult group.

Latinos are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the US, and comprise 17% of the population. They are often viewed as a monolithic group by mainstream culture. However, the term Latino, referring to people of Mexican, Central American, and South American origins, encompasses great diversity with regard to nationality, immigration history, language use, educational and occupational opportunities, and socio-economic position. 

Case Western Reserve University researchers were surprised to learn that people younger than 50 years old with HIV feel more isolated and stressed than older people with the disease.

On Sept. 18 the United States government observes National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day. This commemoration is the latest addition to a series of such HIV-related remembrances and is one that has particular salience given the ever-evolving demographic landscape of the HIV-infected population in the U.S.