| A goal of The Aging Suite is to help educate people | | | | estimated that more than 25 million people have died |
| about health issues and topics that impact the aging | | | | of AIDS since 1981. HIV/AIDS clearly has a huge |
| population. One such topic is HIV/AIDS. Thanks to | | | | global impact. The Joint United Nations Programme |
| improved medications, today people with HIV/AIDS | | | | on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), published worldwide |
| have longer life expectancies. However, as they | | | | statistics on HIV and AIDS in November of 2009. |
| age, the virus can impact various systems in the | | | | HIV/AIDS in the older population |
| body, affecting their functioning at home and thus | | | | According to a 2008 report released by the CDC, the |
| their ability to remain living in their home, aka aging in | | | | number of people aged 50 years and older living with |
| place. | | | | HIV/AIDS has been increasing. In |
| HIV’s impact on the body of an older person: | | | | 2005 people 50 and older accounted for |
| • There’s a higher incidence of | | | | - 15% of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases |
| osteoporosis and osteonecrosis in people with HIV | | | | - 24% of people living with HIV/AIDS |
| which may be caused by the virus or the | | | | - 35% of all deaths of people with AIDS |
| medications used to treat it | | | | - The incidence of HIV/AIDS among people 50 and |
| • The Virus can cause peripheral neuropathy | | | | older is 12 greater among blacks and 5 times greater |
| which can be due to drugs used to treat the virus or | | | | among his Hispanics |
| the virus infecting nerve cells | | | | Join us next time as we talk more about HIV/AIDS in |
| • Dementia due to HIV | | | | the older population. |
| December 1st was World AIDS day. It’s | | | | Source:aidsinfonet. |