In honor of world AIDS day on 12/1, I am devoting today’s episode to HIV and Aging. And, yes. HIV is an important topic when it comes to aging. An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States had HIV at the end of 2018. More than half of the adults living in the US with HIV are 50 years old and older.

Worried about an Older Adult’s Mental Health?

If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Resources for LGTBQ Older Adults

• SAGEConnect links LGBT elders with their broader community, reducing isolation and promoting well-being- connect online here. If you know someone who would benefit from SAGEConnect, but doesn’t have internet, call the registration line at 929-484-4160.
• Check out SAGE’s LGBTQ Aging Guides and Resources
• Considering Long-Term Care? Check out these resources for LGTBQ seniors
• Facing discrimination in your senior community? Lambda Legal defends the rights of LGBT and HIV-positive seniors who face discrimination related to their sexual orientation, gender identity or HIV status, including discrimination by staff and residents at senior centers, senior housing, long-term care and beyond.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Aging and Sexuality: Benefits and Barriers of Sex among Seniors
• Older Adults and Depression: What to Know and How to Help (Podcast)
• Expert Tips for Helping Suicidal Older Adults (Podcast)
• Older Adults and Suicide: What You Can Do to Help

References:

• CDC’s HIV Statistics: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/group/age/olderamericans/index.html
• CDC’s Basic Statistics on HIV: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/statistics.html
• HIV, Mental Health, and Aging: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673522/
• HIV, Mental Health, and Aging: https://www.apa.org/pi/aids/resources/exchange/2014/01/introduction.