Elizabeth Crock: Bolton Clarke HIV Program, Melbourne Acknowledgments Jayne Howard: Victorian HIV Service, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne (previous edition) This section explores key issues for nurses in relation to ageing and long-term survival with HIV. Ageing with HIV Accelerated or accentuated ageing Long term survival Multiple losses and grief Mental health and resilience Multimorbidities Disability, respite, …
An important concern in HIV care is the concept of premature, accelerated, or accentuated ageing. People with HIV may experience some problems associated with ageing at earlier ages than people who do not have HIV, such as frailty, neurocognitive impairment, and osteoporosis. These concerns have been attributed to the effects of the virus, risk factors …
People who have survived many years with HIV, some from the mid-1980s, are considered long-term survivors. Key predictors of long-term survival include early diagnosis, engagement and retention in HIV care, and timely initiation of ART (8). Specific needs of long-term survivors of HIV include psychological and emotional concerns relating to grief and loss, particularly for …
In the 1980s, gay men in Australia, New Zealand and internationally had their social networks decimated, and their lives shaped by the HIV epidemic (14). Many long-term survivors have suffered the loss of lovers, partners, friends, and their community. For some, in the early days of the HIV epidemic in particular, the grief of gay …
Depression and anxiety Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health problems among people with HIV (21). Depression may be related to the cumulative losses of friends and relationships, lack of social support, loss of employment, career prospects or earning capacity and a sense of hope for the future. Lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender and …
People with HIV are at greater risk of comorbidities including heart disease, cancers, osteoporosis, and neurocognitive impairment, often manifested at younger ages. It is thought that HIV contributes to more rapid ageing due to prolonged immunodeficiency, chronic inflammation, and immune activation. Side effects of treatments are also believed to contribute to earlier ageing in those …
While PLHIV are generally living longer and healthier lives, end-of-life issues, and advance care planning (ACP) are often underutilised and overlooked (49, 50). Advance care planning is a form of communication between individuals and their proxies to help plan for future healthcare decisions (51). Factors affecting ACP can include low socio-economic status, lower severity of …
If people with HIV are under 65 and experience disabilities, they may be eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). If they are 65 years old or older, or over 50 if they are Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, they may be eligible for Aged Care services. Some older PLHIV may be concerned …
National Disability Insurance Scheme Guide for carers of older people with HIV – Positive Caring Advance Care Planning Aged care workers and HIV ageing PCA-Guiding-Principles-Voluntary-Assisted-Dying.pdf (palliativecare.org.au) Voluntary assisted dying
Murray JM, McDonald AM, Law MG. Rapidly ageing HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men in Australia. Sex Health. 2009;6(1):83-86. Roberts JM. Services for People Ageing with HIV in Victoria: a Mapping Study. Alfred Hospital, Infectious Diseases. Monash University; 2013. King J, McManus H, Kwon A, Gray R, McGregor S. HIV, viral hepatitis, …
Developing a sustainable HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexual Health Workforce
Acknowledgement of Country
We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of the past, present, and future, including the Gadigal peoples (Sydney office), the Turrbal and Jagera/Yuggera peoples (Brisbane office), and all First Nations people of the nations where we live and work.
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