Midlife And Older Adults And Hiv

Get a detailed overview of the social services provided for HIV-infected midlife and older adults, and find out where social work practice with this growing population is headed! As more potent medications are being developed to treat HIV, people who have contracted the virus are living longer lives than previously expected. Survival means new side effects and increasingly complex issues, now compounded by the diseases of aging. All this presents unprecedented challenges to social service and benefit systems. Midlife and Older Adults and HIV: Implications for Social Service Research, Practice and Policy introduces policymakers and policy analysts, practitioners in the helping professions, and the public to available social services for aging adults who are living with HIV/AIDS. It also addresses midlife and older adults at risk of HIV infection as well as aging persons whose lives are affected by relatives and friends living with HIV. Midlife and Older Adults and HIV provides a comprehensive examination of this emerging field of practice. Specific chapters examine prevention, family care, vulnerability, inclusion, and the disease process itself. It lays out the broad terrain of future social work practice with HIV-infected elders and elders affected by HIV. The book concludes with reflections on survivorship during the past two decades from six older community leaders living with HIV/AIDS. It also provides current research findings, innovative conceptual models, an invaluable compendium of resource information from the National Association of HIV Over Fifty, and program ideas to address the HIV epidemic within the aging population. The issues addressed in Midlife and Older Adults and HIV include: HIV prevention initiatives coordination and integration of local service networks the health, social, and financial risks facing women with HIV the health consequences of HIV/AIDS and its interactions with normal aging the use of behavioral reinforcement methods as interventions perceptions of vulnerability to HIV among older African-American women and the role of intimate partners and much more! Midlife and Older Adults and HIV is a comprehensive resource on social services for aging adults who are living with HIV/AIDS. It serves as a record of what is known and what is presently being learned about practice in this constantly evolving field. The book is a call to action for social workers and other human service professionals to anticipate and plan for the emerging needs of persons with HIV/AIDS who are rapidly growing older. The array of topics covered in this volume also makes it ideal as a supplemental textbook in courses on HIV and aging.

In 1998, approximately 30 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS, about 5 million of whom became infected that year. The epidemic continues to expand, with an estimated doubling time of 10 years, making AIDS the leading infectious cause of death ahead of tuberculosis and malaria. Even in the U.S.A. where the death rate from AIDS is declining as a result of effective drug therapies, HIV infection rates continue to climb in several population groups. The prevalence of AIDS among people over the age of 50 is steadily increasing, and most older people are unprepared to address it for a number of reasons, including the widespread discomfort with matters sexual and homosexual and the belief that elderly people are not sexually active and therefore not at risk. This guide for care providers seeks to educate and inform readers about the difficulties and complications that accompany the disease in older people. Thus, while the appendix includes technical descriptions of methodology, data, and results, the narratives in the chapters describing the findings and their practical implications are written in layman's language. Topics covered include biomedical aspects, demographics, sexuality, stressors, mental health, older women, and patient care, all of which are supported by case studies.

With improvements in the treatment of HIV disease, gay men in great numbers are surviving--and thriving--into middle and older age. While increased longevity brings new hope, it also raises unanticipated challenges, particularly for gay men who never thought they would live this long: How do I deal with all the physical changes? Who can I rely on as I get older? Is a relationship still in the cards for me? What about sex? How should I prepare for old age? A one-of-a-kind guide for gay men aging with HIV, Aging with HIV offers an upbeat, down-to-earth approach for adapting to change, whether driven by age, AIDS, or both. Psychotherapist James Masten and physician James Schmidtberger shed light on the many common assumptions and fears of aging with HIV. Aging with HIV provides concrete solutions for facing midlife with a positive outlook, offering a wealth of advice for breaking unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms. The book describes the nine changes common to gay men as they age with HIV, discusses the four challenges of aging, and offers a unique ten-step path to optimal aging with HIV, helping the reader to tailor the book's suggestions to the realities of their lives. Woven throughout the book are first-person narratives from men who recount what worked--and did not work--for them. In addition, Rapid Research, Fast Fact, and Self-Reflection boxes highlight the latest research and challenge readers to take stock of the present--and plan for the future. An invaluable tool to keep handy and to refer to often, Aging with HIV is an inviting, confident companion to navigating midlife and beyond with HIV.

Gain insight into the various practice issues that arise when working with midlife and older LGBT persons! Take a unique look at the lives of midlife and older LGBT persons in Midlife and Older LGBT Adults. This book reviews various life arenas in which midlife and older LGBT persons exist and the problems with which they cope. It addresses the lives of this group--from their sexual identities to their family and work situations. The book includes research-based knowledge on issues such as coming out, disclosure, education, work, family, general positives and negatives, and more. Not only does this book discuss the lifestyles of individuals in this group, but it also includes how social services professionals can respond to their needs in an affirmative way. The book provides an overview of practice issues with midlife and older LGBT persons to help social workers and other human services workers treat individuals in this group more effectively. It also identifies changes in diagnostics, treatments, and human services. The book presents numerous studies involving midlife and older LGBT persons and an extensive reference list for further information. In Midlife and Older LGBT Adultsyou'll learn how to help individuals in this group deal with: coming out--the positives and the negatives disclosure to different audiences benefits of community involvement and participation family lives including friends and significant others transitions and downturns HIV/AIDS victimization, loneliness, loss and much more! This book will appeal to any social services professional interested in or working with individuals in this population. It serves as a useful resource for human services workers and administrators by outlining practice issues. It is also suitable as a textbook for students in courses on adult development and aging. Midlife and older LGBT persons will find this book to be an engaging look at the lives of their peers. Make this one-of-a-kind book part of your collection!

Despite decades of attention on building a global HIV research and programming agenda, HIV in older populations has generally been neglected until recently. This new book focuses on HIV and aging in the context of ageism with regard to prevention, treatment guidelines, funding, and the engagement of communities and health and social service organizations. The lack of perceived HIV risk in late adulthood among older people themselves, as well on the part of providers and society in general, has led to a lack of investment in education, testing, and programmatic responses. Ageism perpetuates the invisibility of older adults and, in turn, renders current medical and social service systems unprepared to respond to patients’ needs. While ageism may lead to some advantages – discounts for services, for example – it is the negative aspects that must be addressed when determining the appropriate community-level response to the epidemic.

The first decade of the HIV/AIDS epidemic was defined by young gay men dying and activism. The second decade saw people of colour and women account for the majority of those with HIV, as well as the development of effective drugs and the hope that HIV could become treatable or even curable. In this third decade, HIV has evolved into a chronic manageable disease. Few would have ever thought that there would be large numbers of older adults living with HIV in our lifetimes. Developing a strategy to best sustain the health and quality of life for the ageing population living with HIV requires a rigorous assessment of this group's characteristics and needs. Research on Older Adults with HIV (ROAH), conducted by the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA), is the first step to begin to establish a valid comprehensive knowledge-base of the unique characteristics and needs of this growing population.

This volume focuses on the ways in which HIV/AIDS can affect older adults. The chapters in this book discuss the variety of HIV/AIDS problems that we face at the individual, family, and community levels. Topics examined include demographics and epidemiological aspects of HIV disease with this population; prevention of HIV disease; issues impacting individuals in a medical, psychological, and social context; and service needs. Originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Mental Health and Aging, the volume contains new chapters on demographics, HIV prevention and education, and effective coalition building among systems of care. Contributors include Diane Zablotsky, Michael Kennedy, Janice Nichols, and Timothy Heckman, among others. For Further Information, Please Click Here!

With improvements in the treatment of HIV disease, gay men in great numbers are surviving--and thriving--into middle and older age. While increased longevity brings new hope, it also raises unanticipated challenges, particularly for gay men who never thought they would live this long: How do I deal with all the physical changes? Who can I rely on as I get older? Is a relationship still in the cards for me? What about sex? How should I prepare for old age? A one-of-a-kind guide for gay men aging with HIV, Aging with HIV offers an upbeat, down-to-earth approach for adapting to change, whether driven by age, AIDS, or both. Psychotherapist James Masten and physician James Schmidtberger shed light on the many common assumptions and fears of aging with HIV. Aging with HIV provides concrete solutions for facing midlife with a positive outlook, offering a wealth of advice for breaking unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms. The book describes the nine changes common to gay men as they age with HIV, discusses the four challenges of aging, and offers a unique ten-step path to optimal aging with HIV, helping the reader to tailor the book's suggestions to the realities of their lives. Woven throughout the book are first-person narratives from men who recount what worked--and did not work--for them. In addition, Rapid Research, Fast Fact, and Self-Reflection boxes highlight the latest research and challenge readers to take stock of the present--and plan for the future. An invaluable tool to keep handy and to refer to often, Aging with HIV is an inviting, confident companion to navigating midlife and beyond with HIV.