From the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) and an upcoming U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) webinar to the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy (OIDP) Aging Challenge, we encourage you to learn more about National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAD). Led by the AIDS Institute, NHAAD is observed each year on September 18th to focus on the increasing number of people living long, full lives with HIV. The awareness day also calls attention to the unique health and social needs, as well as the challenges of HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care in older adults.

The NHAS adds a new focus on the needs of the growing population of people with HIV who are aging. Older people with HIV, particularly long-term survivors, face different health and psychosocial issues and require tailored HIV care and treatment services. This includes screening for, assessment of, and treatment of HIV-associated, non-AIDS conditions, as well as age-associated diseases for which people with HIV experience increased risk. It also includes addressing challenges such as social isolation or depression that many people aging with HIV face, especially those who are long-term survivors. Below are some resources on these and other important issues related to older adults with HIV.

HIV and Aging Webinar Series: Exploring Data and Engaging in Discussions of HIV, Aging, and Housing

 HUD’s Office of HIV/AIDS Housing is sponsoring the fifth session in its webinar series focused on HIV and aging. This webinar, Exploring Data and Engaging in Discussions of HIV, Aging, and Housing, will take place on Monday, September 18, 2023, from 12-1:30pm (EST).

There is a growing significant need for affordable housing options that meet the needs of the aging population within the U.S., including people aging with HIV. This live webinar will delve into the changing landscape of HIV with a presentation of the key findings from the HealthHIV State of Aging with HIV Third Annual National Survey primary health services research report. Following the presentation will be a panel discussion and Q&A with the audience.

The discussion will spotlight the evolving needs of the community, emphasizing the criticality of the “Health and Housing” nexus, while showcasing ways to address these intersectional challenges optimally. The webinar will equip attendees with a multi-faceted understanding of the challenges people with HIV face, as well as strategies and best practices for meeting the intersectionality of “Health and Housing” and aging with HIV.

You can register for the webinar here.

 

OIDP HIV and Aging Challenges

This summer, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, OIDP, and the HHS Administration for Community Living announced the Phase 1 winners of the “Innovations for Needs of People Aging with HIV/Long-term Survivors in Urban Communities” challenge and the “$500,000 Rural HIV and Aging Challenge”. Read more about the winners of Phase 1 here. Stay tuned as the winners for Phase 2 will be announced soon!

Federal Communication Resources

Information on NHAAD and HIV prevention, care, and treatment for older adults can be found here:

The NHAAD logo, as well as NHAAD-specific and aging-related resources from federal agencies, can be found on the HIV.gov events website.

Community Resources

The AIDS Institute and the HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness websites provide facts about the prevalence of HIV among older adults, including a video addressing HIV stigma among older women.

FYI Video with ONAP’s Harold Phillips

Watch HIV.gov’s latest FYI video with Harold J. Phillip, MRP, Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy to learn more about people aging with HIV, including recent updates from the US Conference on HIV/AIDS, which included various events about this important community and topic.