What’s new in HIV & Ageing?
Over 50% of people with HIV are aged 50 and up and as more people age with relatively good health and have their HIV controlled, these levels of good health will only increase in the coming years.
Living Positive Victoria recognises the importance of health literacy in older people with HIV. We know that that making informed health choices enhance people’s health and wellbeing as they age. Therefore, it is vital that people have access to useful and accurate information.
One strategy that Living Positive Victoria has been employing for older people with HIV in recent years is regular health promotion activities such as information sessions both ‘in person’ and ‘online’ as well self-management programs. Delivered by a range of experts within and outside HIV sector, these will continue in 2025 and beyond.
In addition to this, we have been busy updating our dedicated section on the Living Positive Victoria website ‘Ageing with HIV‘.
This includes updating the information in the Health Topics section. Issues that are important for people with HIV as they age include, osteoporosis, metabolic health, cancer and menopause.
We have also produced many new videos of older people with HIV telling their personal stories. We can listen to Ian and Bruce talk about what it has been like participating in Living Positive Victoria’s programs that increase health literacy and build capacity to support older people to look after themselves. They talk about the immense value they got out of it and the many life skills they learnt such as problem solving, decision making, goal setting and much more in order to help them manage their HIV and enhance their quality of life as they age. So, would they recommend the program to others? Watch and find out.
We can also listen to Positive Women Victoria’s co-founder, Bev Greet, talk about her personal fight against HIV in the early days of the epidemic as well as the challenges she had to face being a woman in a largely gay male population that was affected by HIV. There many more personal stories to listen to so check them out now.
As people age with HIV, Living Positive Victoria will continue to focus on health literacy, capacity building and peer connection to enhance self- management and emotional health. It’s all about optimising physical and mental health as well as dignity and agency. This adds to a quality life as we age.