SageHealth Network Executive Director, Michele Cauch, was featured on the CBC Radio Show, The Current.
Sex and Seniors - Documentary
Across Canada, seniors are staying healthier and living longer. Add such drugs as Viagra to that mix and it's no surprise that they're more sexually active too. But that can create problems. The rate of HIV infections among Canadians over fifty has doubled in the last ten years. And with the number of seniors expected to double over the next 40 years, that's a significant public health challenge.
Susan Bell is a freelance documentary producer. She's spent some time with one senior citizen who's on a quest to find a boyfriend and she joined us from Montreal.
To listen to the recording, click here: http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2009/200901/20090130.html
Friday, January 30, 2009
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Sexual & Reproductive Health Awareness Day February 12
Celebrate Sexual & Reproductive Health Awareness Day, February 12
From coast to coast, Canadians will be celebrating the 8th annual national Sexual and Reproductive Health Day, on February 12, 2009, with the support of the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health.
People across the nation are encouraged to take responsibility for their sexual health by talking about healthy decision making with the people they care about, and being informed on safer sex practices—such as using contraception, using it properly, and using it consistently.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Day is an excellent time to reflect on how we can continue to motivate a new generation of individuals to be sexually healthy, and inspire communities to comfortably discuss and express their sexuality.
Posters can be ordered by contacting the Canadian Federation of Sexual Health at admin@cfsh.ca or calling 613-241-4474 .
From coast to coast, Canadians will be celebrating the 8th annual national Sexual and Reproductive Health Day, on February 12, 2009, with the support of the Canadian Federation for Sexual Health.
People across the nation are encouraged to take responsibility for their sexual health by talking about healthy decision making with the people they care about, and being informed on safer sex practices—such as using contraception, using it properly, and using it consistently.
Sexual and Reproductive Health Day is an excellent time to reflect on how we can continue to motivate a new generation of individuals to be sexually healthy, and inspire communities to comfortably discuss and express their sexuality.
Posters can be ordered by contacting the Canadian Federation of Sexual Health at admin@cfsh.ca or calling 613-241-4474 .
Sexuality, Pleasure of Life (Sexualidad, placer de toda la vida)
Mario Rivas
22 de Octubre del 2008
Seniors often face many social and cultural obstacles to sexuality along with medical conditions and physical changes that alter their ability to experience intimacy. Sexology and medicine that may offer solutions for these impediments.
We must recognize that there are many taboos and prejudices surrounding the sexuality of the elderly. These are based on stereotypes of the elderly where grandmother is tender and grandfather is a big child, ultimately making them asexual.
These assumptions are based on incomplete observations and are poorly substantiated (for example, it is assumed that in the reduction in frequency of intercourse, the ability and desire will eventually disappear altogether). This belief goes hand in hand with the overall idea that the elderly eventually become useless. In this belief, they may become fearful and withdrawn, and hide behind diseases that in no way affect their sexual performance, in order to avoid tension and nervousness that generates insecurity.
There are certainly serious illnesses such as heart and lung disease which affect the overall health of the individual, but it appears that many patients only use these as an excuse to evade their partner, as there is no real effect to sexual performance in the long term.
So while in some individuals there is the sense of danger and inability to maintain relationships after suffering a heart attack, for example, medical science today has a number of resources (drugs, surgery) to address these issues. Further, we know that one or two months after an episode sexual activity can resume without risk, and very few reasons to support abstention.
There are no long-term negative effects.
Broadly speaking, one can say that there are diseases that come with age that affect the body and thus interfere with sexual response, like diabetes, hypertension or metabolic, hormonal and nervous disorders. All of these, however, can be treated by doctors, endocrinologists and geriatricians who have the necessary resources and can improve the lives of their patients.
Finally, women at this age usually have a normal response to sexuality, but may experience pain because of lack of lubrication. This is perhaps one of the simplest problems to solve as there are products (gels) specially created for this issue. Non-irritating, they are accessible and allow the couple enjoy sex, though it may also be worth a visit to the gynecologists and geriatrician.
Since most medical obstacles may be resolved, the only prevention of sexuality appears to be the misconceptions around seniors. Surveys of the elderly who want to maintain sexual activity show that life can go on with little or no limitation, as long as they have adequate support and guidance as well as the necessary communication, understanding and affection of their partner. After all, spending time together, sharing and listening are necessary ingredients for any act of love.
(Translated from original source: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2008/life.htm)
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Nursing Home Sex No Longer a Touchy Subject
By Margaret Stafford, San Francisco Chronicle
December 28, 2008
When Kansas State University sent researchers into nursing homes to find out how the topic of sex was being addressed, they initially found silence.
"Nobody was talking about it; it was a really hush-hush subject," said Gayle Doll, director of the university's Center on Aging. "I guess it's hard enough for people to think about their parents having sex, let alone their grandparents."
In response, the researchers have produced seminars and training aids to encourage nursing home caregivers to discuss and accommodate sexual desires.
The effort brings Kansas into a national discussion that advocates say will only grow as Baby Boomers age and take their beliefs about sexual freedom and civil rights into the nation's nursing homes.
One of the first Kansas seminars was held at Schowalter Villa in Hesston, where many staff first reacted with, "We're going to talk about WHAT?" said Lillian Claassen, vice president of health services at the villa.
Claassen said residents' sexuality had always been a difficult subject for nursing homes, and the Kansas State training affirmed her earlier efforts to address the topic.
"It wasn't like we hadn't cared for these needs in the past, but it was liberating to some folks to have an open discussion with university researchers," Claassen said. "It empowered people to think about how they could help folks."
Doll said the training focuses on explaining what sexuality means for older adults, identifying barriers to fulfilling the sexual needs, finding strategies to help residents and how to discern appropriate from inappropriate sexual behaviors.
Solutions can be as simple as providing "do not disturb" signs or making sure staffers don't barge into residents' rooms without knocking. Claassen said her nursing home provides a discrete room for residents and has staff work through possible scenarios they may encounter.
Sometimes, it's as simple as arranging a bed for someone who needs physical therapy in a way that also allows that patient to be with his or her companion, she said.
"My greatest interest is to promote dignity in a situation that can be very challenging," Claassen said. "We all need touch, kindness and companionship. We try to enable that in this setting, which can be very public but where there is still a need for privacy."
Sexuality doesn't always mean intercourse. Many lonely or depressed residents are simply looking for ways to relieve loneliness and depression, Doll said.
For example, she told of one resident who had asked for pornography but dropped the request when the staff started spending more time with him.
"The staff can help with the loneliness and need for connection that residents often have," Doll said. "Some sexual expressions that might be seen as inappropriate will go away when they simply get the attention they deserve."
When the need does include sexual activity, the issue becomes more difficult if one of the residents is suffering from dementia, advocates say. That can manifest itself in a resident making passes at a staff member.
Claassen said her staff is trained to respond politely and to understand that the impaired resident may be mistaking the staff member for a spouse or reacting as he or she has in the past, which is often more vivid than the present for those suffering from dementia.
If a resident with dementia becomes involved with another resident, the issue becomes determining if the sexual activity is consensual, said Robin Dessel, a national expert on dementia who is the director of memory care at Hebrew Home in Riverdale, N.Y.
Dessel said people with dementia, even those who can no longer speak, have wants and desires and the ability to express them. It takes a trained and educated staff to recognize if a sexual overture or relationship involves abuse or is borne of real need, she said.
Dessel said she has seen a growing awareness that the aging do not forfeit their rights as they become infirm, and that includes the right to express sexuality. She expects that trend to increase as Baby Boomers, with more liberal attitudes toward sex than their parents, continue to age.
"No matter what we see, even if someone needs total care or is incontinent, they still feel," Dessel said. "If there's a bonding with someone else, I think it's a time of celebration at that point that there's something left, something good and pleasurable for that person."
To meet that challenge, clinicians and providers need some standardized parameters to use to assess patients' consent, Dessel said.
The Kansas State researchers say federal guidelines should be developed to help nursing homes deal with sexuality in a positive way.
"Nursing homes are the second most regulated industry in the country, behind nuclear power plants," Doll said. "But none of those regulations address sexuality. So, consequently, no one knows how to handle it."
Original link available here: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2008/longer.htm
December 28, 2008
When Kansas State University sent researchers into nursing homes to find out how the topic of sex was being addressed, they initially found silence.
"Nobody was talking about it; it was a really hush-hush subject," said Gayle Doll, director of the university's Center on Aging. "I guess it's hard enough for people to think about their parents having sex, let alone their grandparents."
In response, the researchers have produced seminars and training aids to encourage nursing home caregivers to discuss and accommodate sexual desires.
The effort brings Kansas into a national discussion that advocates say will only grow as Baby Boomers age and take their beliefs about sexual freedom and civil rights into the nation's nursing homes.
One of the first Kansas seminars was held at Schowalter Villa in Hesston, where many staff first reacted with, "We're going to talk about WHAT?" said Lillian Claassen, vice president of health services at the villa.
Claassen said residents' sexuality had always been a difficult subject for nursing homes, and the Kansas State training affirmed her earlier efforts to address the topic.
"It wasn't like we hadn't cared for these needs in the past, but it was liberating to some folks to have an open discussion with university researchers," Claassen said. "It empowered people to think about how they could help folks."
Doll said the training focuses on explaining what sexuality means for older adults, identifying barriers to fulfilling the sexual needs, finding strategies to help residents and how to discern appropriate from inappropriate sexual behaviors.
Solutions can be as simple as providing "do not disturb" signs or making sure staffers don't barge into residents' rooms without knocking. Claassen said her nursing home provides a discrete room for residents and has staff work through possible scenarios they may encounter.
Sometimes, it's as simple as arranging a bed for someone who needs physical therapy in a way that also allows that patient to be with his or her companion, she said.
"My greatest interest is to promote dignity in a situation that can be very challenging," Claassen said. "We all need touch, kindness and companionship. We try to enable that in this setting, which can be very public but where there is still a need for privacy."
Sexuality doesn't always mean intercourse. Many lonely or depressed residents are simply looking for ways to relieve loneliness and depression, Doll said.
For example, she told of one resident who had asked for pornography but dropped the request when the staff started spending more time with him.
"The staff can help with the loneliness and need for connection that residents often have," Doll said. "Some sexual expressions that might be seen as inappropriate will go away when they simply get the attention they deserve."
When the need does include sexual activity, the issue becomes more difficult if one of the residents is suffering from dementia, advocates say. That can manifest itself in a resident making passes at a staff member.
Claassen said her staff is trained to respond politely and to understand that the impaired resident may be mistaking the staff member for a spouse or reacting as he or she has in the past, which is often more vivid than the present for those suffering from dementia.
If a resident with dementia becomes involved with another resident, the issue becomes determining if the sexual activity is consensual, said Robin Dessel, a national expert on dementia who is the director of memory care at Hebrew Home in Riverdale, N.Y.
Dessel said people with dementia, even those who can no longer speak, have wants and desires and the ability to express them. It takes a trained and educated staff to recognize if a sexual overture or relationship involves abuse or is borne of real need, she said.
Dessel said she has seen a growing awareness that the aging do not forfeit their rights as they become infirm, and that includes the right to express sexuality. She expects that trend to increase as Baby Boomers, with more liberal attitudes toward sex than their parents, continue to age.
"No matter what we see, even if someone needs total care or is incontinent, they still feel," Dessel said. "If there's a bonding with someone else, I think it's a time of celebration at that point that there's something left, something good and pleasurable for that person."
To meet that challenge, clinicians and providers need some standardized parameters to use to assess patients' consent, Dessel said.
The Kansas State researchers say federal guidelines should be developed to help nursing homes deal with sexuality in a positive way.
"Nursing homes are the second most regulated industry in the country, behind nuclear power plants," Doll said. "But none of those regulations address sexuality. So, consequently, no one knows how to handle it."
Original link available here: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2008/longer.htm
Florida's Elder Population Confronts Sexually Transmitted Infections
By Wendy Bonifazi, RN, CLS, APR, Nursing Spectrum
October 6, 2008
It's important to reinforce the message that anyone, at any age, can pick up sexually transmitted infections, says Tara Barreto, RN, Positive Healthcare's state director of disease management. "Quite often, the older population does not think of safe sex in terms of HIV/AIDS or STD prevention; their 'definition' is preventing pregnancy only. Since they are past childbearing age, use of a condom isn't even a consideration." Unfortunately, as some older Floridians are learning too late, they're at risk. People aged 65 and older made up 0.69% of syphillis cases in 2005, 0.06% of chlamydia cases, and 0.28% of gonorrhea cases.
And although the state has been on the forefront of elder-directed HIV/AIDs programs for decades, it's also on the leading wave of increased infections among elders of all socioeconomic groups.
Open Communication
"There's a dangerous undercurrent at many medical visits that posing questions regarding intimacy, sexual history, or drug use to an elderly patient is a sign of disrespect," says Barreto. "This couldn't be further from the truth. A full, thorough medical history is the cornerstone of understanding and preventing a patient's medical concerns. Most importantly, do not bring any judgment. It can be difficult, but maintaining individual respect and compassion for each patient will solicit an open and communicative environment."
Elizabeth Nash, ACRN, MPA, regional manager of AIDS Healthcare Foundation/Positive Healthcare, Clearwater, Fla., advises nurses to be open and natural to normalize topics that often are taboo. "Ask open-ended rather than yes/no questions, such as 'Who are you having sex with?' rather than 'Do you have sex with your spouse,' and 'Tell me about your sexual activities, including vaginal, anal, and oral intimacy,'" she suggests.
Widows and divorcees often are excluded from educational efforts, says Nash, as are Hispanic women because of cultural emphasis on their monogamy. Healthcare providers and patients may miss diagnoses by blaming age-related conditions for symptoms such as weight loss, cognitive changes, and fatigue, that would raise flags in younger patients.
If birth control is unnecessary, elders may fear using condoms implies they or their partners are intimate with others, use drugs, or have infections, says Nash, who also is president of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care's Tampa Bay chapter.
Condom PR
Elders may be embarrassed to buy or use condoms. "Because of impotency, older men can lose erections, so they may not want to stop to put them on," says Nash. "We distribute a lot that are labeled extra-large, to inflate their egos and encourage use."
Broward County's Seniors HIV Intervention Project, the country's first elder education program, provides peer "sexperts" including Miriam Schuler, the "Condom Grandma" who made national headlines in the 1980s.
"Speakers and outreach are very effective in changing behavior, and the impact of older people with real stories is very powerful when they're speaking to peers," says Marlene LaLota, MPH, prevention director at the state Bureau of HIV/AIDS. "We have [available speakers] like that all over the state, including black, Hispanic, gay, and ex-drug-users."
HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Elders
"We're seeing an aging of the epidemic, with a higher percentage of older folks … and I think we'll see that increase," says Spencer Lieb, MPH, senior epidemiologist for the Bureau of HIV/AIDS at Florida's Department of Health, Tallahassee. "More people with HIV/AIDS are living longer to transmit the infection, and we see more sexual activity because the population is healthier overall and using erectile dysfunction drugs. Most importantly, the person with HIV is converting to AIDS."
In 2007, 21,379 HIV/AIDS cases were diagnosed and reported in Floridians 50 and older, an incidence of 358.6 cases per 100,000 people. "It's under-diagnosed, so we're probably missing 10%," says Lieb. "And if they're reported in another state when they're diagnosed, they're not reported here." Since cases are reported wherever they're diagnosed, he says the number of seasonal residents reported in and out of state probably balance.
Every Florida county has reported cases of residents older than 50 living with HIV/AIDS, and counties with a population more than 100,000 have a minimum of 113 cases. The highest numbers are in Miami Dade (7,275 cases, 34% of the state's 50-plus cases); Broward (4,102, or 19%), and Palm Beach (2,337, or 11%), closely followed by Hillsborough, Orange and Duval, (3,923 cases combined, 18%).
Testing and Talking
Provider and patient stereotypes about both aging and HIV are contributing factors. Many people remain sexually active into their 80s and 90s, and with the use of erectile dysfunction drugs for the past decade, rates of HIV/AIDS and gonorrhea in heterosexual elders has increase faster than their counterparts who are younger than 40, says Lieb.
Professionals often are as uncomfortable thinking or talking about HIV and sex as older patients, says Elizabeth Nash, ACRN, MPA, regional manager of AIDS Healthcare Foundation/Positive Healthcare, Clearwater, Fla. "There's huge discomfort in taking a proper sexual history, and nurses and physicians don't even think about older patients' possibility of exposure. And AIDS has such a huge stigma in the medical community that some personal physicians ask if we're scared we'll get it from patient case management."
"If you're practicing in Florida anywhere, your patients are very high risk," says LaLota. In addition to a baseline test for all older adults, she advises retesting for those who are sexually active at least annually, and twice or more annually for men who have sex with men.
"Cost is not a barrier, and patients very rarely would have to pay for it," says LaLota. "If it's ordered, it's covered by insurance or Medicaid, and it's often included free, no appointment needed, on most mobile health units ... paired with other services and tests. "The health department's STD program visits patients who test positive, and identifies and contacts anyone who may have been infected."
Local health departments and HIV offices can offer providers and patients free resources, including condoms, speakers, assistance starting test sites or programs, and access to patient care services (including those who don't qualify for Medicare or Medicaid). Because of the stigma attached to STDs, testing and education are most effective when integrated or added to other health programs such as diabetes or exercise, says LaLota. Programs can be located by calling 211.
Original link available here: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2008/confronts.htm
October 6, 2008
It's important to reinforce the message that anyone, at any age, can pick up sexually transmitted infections, says Tara Barreto, RN, Positive Healthcare's state director of disease management. "Quite often, the older population does not think of safe sex in terms of HIV/AIDS or STD prevention; their 'definition' is preventing pregnancy only. Since they are past childbearing age, use of a condom isn't even a consideration." Unfortunately, as some older Floridians are learning too late, they're at risk. People aged 65 and older made up 0.69% of syphillis cases in 2005, 0.06% of chlamydia cases, and 0.28% of gonorrhea cases.
And although the state has been on the forefront of elder-directed HIV/AIDs programs for decades, it's also on the leading wave of increased infections among elders of all socioeconomic groups.
Open Communication
"There's a dangerous undercurrent at many medical visits that posing questions regarding intimacy, sexual history, or drug use to an elderly patient is a sign of disrespect," says Barreto. "This couldn't be further from the truth. A full, thorough medical history is the cornerstone of understanding and preventing a patient's medical concerns. Most importantly, do not bring any judgment. It can be difficult, but maintaining individual respect and compassion for each patient will solicit an open and communicative environment."
Elizabeth Nash, ACRN, MPA, regional manager of AIDS Healthcare Foundation/Positive Healthcare, Clearwater, Fla., advises nurses to be open and natural to normalize topics that often are taboo. "Ask open-ended rather than yes/no questions, such as 'Who are you having sex with?' rather than 'Do you have sex with your spouse,' and 'Tell me about your sexual activities, including vaginal, anal, and oral intimacy,'" she suggests.
Widows and divorcees often are excluded from educational efforts, says Nash, as are Hispanic women because of cultural emphasis on their monogamy. Healthcare providers and patients may miss diagnoses by blaming age-related conditions for symptoms such as weight loss, cognitive changes, and fatigue, that would raise flags in younger patients.
If birth control is unnecessary, elders may fear using condoms implies they or their partners are intimate with others, use drugs, or have infections, says Nash, who also is president of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care's Tampa Bay chapter.
Condom PR
Elders may be embarrassed to buy or use condoms. "Because of impotency, older men can lose erections, so they may not want to stop to put them on," says Nash. "We distribute a lot that are labeled extra-large, to inflate their egos and encourage use."
Broward County's Seniors HIV Intervention Project, the country's first elder education program, provides peer "sexperts" including Miriam Schuler, the "Condom Grandma" who made national headlines in the 1980s.
"Speakers and outreach are very effective in changing behavior, and the impact of older people with real stories is very powerful when they're speaking to peers," says Marlene LaLota, MPH, prevention director at the state Bureau of HIV/AIDS. "We have [available speakers] like that all over the state, including black, Hispanic, gay, and ex-drug-users."
HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Elders
"We're seeing an aging of the epidemic, with a higher percentage of older folks … and I think we'll see that increase," says Spencer Lieb, MPH, senior epidemiologist for the Bureau of HIV/AIDS at Florida's Department of Health, Tallahassee. "More people with HIV/AIDS are living longer to transmit the infection, and we see more sexual activity because the population is healthier overall and using erectile dysfunction drugs. Most importantly, the person with HIV is converting to AIDS."
In 2007, 21,379 HIV/AIDS cases were diagnosed and reported in Floridians 50 and older, an incidence of 358.6 cases per 100,000 people. "It's under-diagnosed, so we're probably missing 10%," says Lieb. "And if they're reported in another state when they're diagnosed, they're not reported here." Since cases are reported wherever they're diagnosed, he says the number of seasonal residents reported in and out of state probably balance.
Every Florida county has reported cases of residents older than 50 living with HIV/AIDS, and counties with a population more than 100,000 have a minimum of 113 cases. The highest numbers are in Miami Dade (7,275 cases, 34% of the state's 50-plus cases); Broward (4,102, or 19%), and Palm Beach (2,337, or 11%), closely followed by Hillsborough, Orange and Duval, (3,923 cases combined, 18%).
Testing and Talking
Provider and patient stereotypes about both aging and HIV are contributing factors. Many people remain sexually active into their 80s and 90s, and with the use of erectile dysfunction drugs for the past decade, rates of HIV/AIDS and gonorrhea in heterosexual elders has increase faster than their counterparts who are younger than 40, says Lieb.
Professionals often are as uncomfortable thinking or talking about HIV and sex as older patients, says Elizabeth Nash, ACRN, MPA, regional manager of AIDS Healthcare Foundation/Positive Healthcare, Clearwater, Fla. "There's huge discomfort in taking a proper sexual history, and nurses and physicians don't even think about older patients' possibility of exposure. And AIDS has such a huge stigma in the medical community that some personal physicians ask if we're scared we'll get it from patient case management."
"If you're practicing in Florida anywhere, your patients are very high risk," says LaLota. In addition to a baseline test for all older adults, she advises retesting for those who are sexually active at least annually, and twice or more annually for men who have sex with men.
"Cost is not a barrier, and patients very rarely would have to pay for it," says LaLota. "If it's ordered, it's covered by insurance or Medicaid, and it's often included free, no appointment needed, on most mobile health units ... paired with other services and tests. "The health department's STD program visits patients who test positive, and identifies and contacts anyone who may have been infected."
Local health departments and HIV offices can offer providers and patients free resources, including condoms, speakers, assistance starting test sites or programs, and access to patient care services (including those who don't qualify for Medicare or Medicaid). Because of the stigma attached to STDs, testing and education are most effective when integrated or added to other health programs such as diabetes or exercise, says LaLota. Programs can be located by calling 211.
Original link available here: http://www.globalaging.org/health/us/2008/confronts.htm
Thursday, January 1, 2009
World AIDS Day: Older People Face HIV Risk, Too
By Deborah Straszheim, Norwich Bulletin
December 1, 2008
Advocates say incidence rising in those older than 50
Sometimes they leave a basket of condoms for the audience.
If it’s an elderly group, the basket always empties, said Sandy Brindamour, executive director of Alliance for Living, a nonprofit organization that serves people with AIDS or HIV in southeastern Connecticut.
“You can hear them say, ‘Oh, this is for my grandson,’ or ‘This is for my son.’ “ she said. “And you know that it’s not. You know that people are lonely, and they develop relationships.”
Since 1980 through June 30 of this year, the Connecticut Department of Public Health reported 4,800 Connecticut citizens older than 50 living with HIV or AIDS. That represents 37 percent of all cases.
In the first six months of this year, 27 new cases were reported in people older than 50. The highest numbers of new cases were reported in the 40 to 49 age group. The second highest numbers were in people older than 50.
“People who are over 50 have sex. I know that’s shocking,” said John P.
Merz, executive director of the Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition. “People don’t want to think about their parents having sex, but it’s true. There’s a whole group out there who are divorced, or some are widowed, and they’re out there dating, and HIV and AIDS isn’t even out there on the radar screen.”
Couples are also able to have sex later in life due to drugs that were unavailable years ago.
The statewide coalition provides advocacy, education and other assistance to people with HIV and AIDS in Connecticut.
On World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, the coalition pointed out that 30 percent of people with the virus in Connecticut do not know they have it.
Brindamour said the percentage of older people has remained stable through the years, based on data in southeastern Connecticut. But the number of cases among older people has grown along with the total number with the virus, she said.
People in their 50s may be less likely to use a condom because they feel they’re beyond worrying about it, she said. They may believe they’re adults and can judge whether someone’s a risk or not, she said.
They also may be unaware they are infected. For example, a woman in her 50s may think she has night sweats because she’s in menopause, Brindamour said.
There are close to 800 cases of HIV and AIDS in southeastern Connecticut, but the group doesn’t see most of them.
“If you are a professional, you don’t want to go into a building that everyone knows is the building where individuals with HIV and AIDS are cared for,” she said.
Some of the agency’s clients tell friends they’re volunteering at the building, she said.
December 1, 2008
Advocates say incidence rising in those older than 50
Sometimes they leave a basket of condoms for the audience.
If it’s an elderly group, the basket always empties, said Sandy Brindamour, executive director of Alliance for Living, a nonprofit organization that serves people with AIDS or HIV in southeastern Connecticut.
“You can hear them say, ‘Oh, this is for my grandson,’ or ‘This is for my son.’ “ she said. “And you know that it’s not. You know that people are lonely, and they develop relationships.”
Since 1980 through June 30 of this year, the Connecticut Department of Public Health reported 4,800 Connecticut citizens older than 50 living with HIV or AIDS. That represents 37 percent of all cases.
In the first six months of this year, 27 new cases were reported in people older than 50. The highest numbers of new cases were reported in the 40 to 49 age group. The second highest numbers were in people older than 50.
“People who are over 50 have sex. I know that’s shocking,” said John P.
Merz, executive director of the Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition. “People don’t want to think about their parents having sex, but it’s true. There’s a whole group out there who are divorced, or some are widowed, and they’re out there dating, and HIV and AIDS isn’t even out there on the radar screen.”
Couples are also able to have sex later in life due to drugs that were unavailable years ago.
The statewide coalition provides advocacy, education and other assistance to people with HIV and AIDS in Connecticut.
On World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, the coalition pointed out that 30 percent of people with the virus in Connecticut do not know they have it.
Brindamour said the percentage of older people has remained stable through the years, based on data in southeastern Connecticut. But the number of cases among older people has grown along with the total number with the virus, she said.
People in their 50s may be less likely to use a condom because they feel they’re beyond worrying about it, she said. They may believe they’re adults and can judge whether someone’s a risk or not, she said.
They also may be unaware they are infected. For example, a woman in her 50s may think she has night sweats because she’s in menopause, Brindamour said.
There are close to 800 cases of HIV and AIDS in southeastern Connecticut, but the group doesn’t see most of them.
“If you are a professional, you don’t want to go into a building that everyone knows is the building where individuals with HIV and AIDS are cared for,” she said.
Some of the agency’s clients tell friends they’re volunteering at the building, she said.
UN Urged to Include Older People In Access to HIV Prevention
Xinhua, December 1, 2008
The United Nations will fail to meet its target of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010 if older people continue to be excluded from global responses to the pandemic, two charities warned on Monday.
In a joint statement issued to coincide with the World AIDS Day which falls on December 1, Help Age International (HI) and Help the Aged said the resulting lack of information on older people is placing millions in danger of contracting HIV as they fail to be targeted in testing and awareness-raising initiatives. They also suggests many more older people may be living with HIV undiagnosed.
"Despite the clear evidence that older people are living with HIV, there remains a false and dangerous assumption that people over 50 no longer have sexual relationships. The omission of older people from key data collected by UNAIDS is perpetuating this," said Rachel Albone, HIV and AIDS policy adviser at Help Age International.
The organization said the UN's most recent estimates show that some 2.8 million people aged 50 and over are living with HIV, equating to 1 in 14 of the total number infected worldwide.
Yet key data used by UNAIDS to measure impact and the spread of infection, specifically related to number of sexual partners and condom use, is not collected for those over the age of 49.
"Where older people are not included in HIV testing initiatives, many are diagnosed only when they eventually develop an AIDS-related illness. At this late stage, the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy is significantly compromised," said Albone.
Recent statistics from the Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey 2007 revealed that prevalence of HIV among people aged 50-54 in Kenya is 8 per cent, almost doubling that among 15-24 year olds who are often a key target group for policy and program response.
Adequate recognition and support for older carers for those affected by HIV and AIDS is another area lacking in global response to the pandemic.
Help the Aged estimates that up to half of the 15 million children worldwide who have been orphaned by AIDS are cared for by grandparents.
Yet none of the core indicators used by UNAIDS monitors the impact of caring on older people, leaving millions who are struggling with the significant financial, social and emotional strain of caring without sufficient support.
This in turn affects their ability to provide appropriate care for younger relatives living with HIV.
"Before the orphans came it was OK to sustain my wife and our immediate family. But now I have to buy everything - schoolbooks, clothes, food and look after the house. Three of the orphans are HIV-positive. When they are sick we have to buy their medicines," said the 73 year-old Peter from Uganda.
"When my wife and I are sick we have to pay a consultation fee as well as buy what the doctor prescribes, but if there is no money we go without. I am always worrying about how I am going to find enough money. It is a big responsibility with nobody to help me," added Peter who cares for nearly 30 children orphaned by AIDS.
As part of its Age Demands Action campaign, Help Age International and Help the Aged are calling on the UN to include older people in its HIV and AIDS monitoring data.
"In his statement on World AIDS Day 2007, (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki Moon restated UN's mission to ensure universal access to all people -- wherever they live, whatever they do. Unfortunately, this seems to include everyone except older people. Until all age-groups are targeted in the global response to HIV and AIDS, the goal of achieving universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010 remains a fantasy," said Richard Blewitt, Chief Executive of HI.
"Given that the theme of this year's World AIDS Day is leadership, we hope the UN will show leadership itself by revising its indicators to help end the exclusion of older people in the fight against HIV and AIDS."
The United Nations will fail to meet its target of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010 if older people continue to be excluded from global responses to the pandemic, two charities warned on Monday.
In a joint statement issued to coincide with the World AIDS Day which falls on December 1, Help Age International (HI) and Help the Aged said the resulting lack of information on older people is placing millions in danger of contracting HIV as they fail to be targeted in testing and awareness-raising initiatives. They also suggests many more older people may be living with HIV undiagnosed.
"Despite the clear evidence that older people are living with HIV, there remains a false and dangerous assumption that people over 50 no longer have sexual relationships. The omission of older people from key data collected by UNAIDS is perpetuating this," said Rachel Albone, HIV and AIDS policy adviser at Help Age International.
The organization said the UN's most recent estimates show that some 2.8 million people aged 50 and over are living with HIV, equating to 1 in 14 of the total number infected worldwide.
Yet key data used by UNAIDS to measure impact and the spread of infection, specifically related to number of sexual partners and condom use, is not collected for those over the age of 49.
"Where older people are not included in HIV testing initiatives, many are diagnosed only when they eventually develop an AIDS-related illness. At this late stage, the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy is significantly compromised," said Albone.
Recent statistics from the Kenya AIDS Indicator Survey 2007 revealed that prevalence of HIV among people aged 50-54 in Kenya is 8 per cent, almost doubling that among 15-24 year olds who are often a key target group for policy and program response.
Adequate recognition and support for older carers for those affected by HIV and AIDS is another area lacking in global response to the pandemic.
Help the Aged estimates that up to half of the 15 million children worldwide who have been orphaned by AIDS are cared for by grandparents.
Yet none of the core indicators used by UNAIDS monitors the impact of caring on older people, leaving millions who are struggling with the significant financial, social and emotional strain of caring without sufficient support.
This in turn affects their ability to provide appropriate care for younger relatives living with HIV.
"Before the orphans came it was OK to sustain my wife and our immediate family. But now I have to buy everything - schoolbooks, clothes, food and look after the house. Three of the orphans are HIV-positive. When they are sick we have to buy their medicines," said the 73 year-old Peter from Uganda.
"When my wife and I are sick we have to pay a consultation fee as well as buy what the doctor prescribes, but if there is no money we go without. I am always worrying about how I am going to find enough money. It is a big responsibility with nobody to help me," added Peter who cares for nearly 30 children orphaned by AIDS.
As part of its Age Demands Action campaign, Help Age International and Help the Aged are calling on the UN to include older people in its HIV and AIDS monitoring data.
"In his statement on World AIDS Day 2007, (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki Moon restated UN's mission to ensure universal access to all people -- wherever they live, whatever they do. Unfortunately, this seems to include everyone except older people. Until all age-groups are targeted in the global response to HIV and AIDS, the goal of achieving universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010 remains a fantasy," said Richard Blewitt, Chief Executive of HI.
"Given that the theme of this year's World AIDS Day is leadership, we hope the UN will show leadership itself by revising its indicators to help end the exclusion of older people in the fight against HIV and AIDS."
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