Planning for a Future

policy & advocacy considerations

for an ageing population of people with HIV

Lisa Power, Terrence Higgins Trust, UK

“Now we are going into the dark and nobody is prepared, I am telling you, nobody knows what we are going to be doing.…”

“Services are geared towards younger people with HIV. When I look at websites it shows … the illness in a manner that’s unrealistic…”

Start looking

How many people with HIV are 50+ in your country?

Who are they?

What’s the direction of travel for this population?

What will treatment advances change?

What research is there (both clinical and social)?

Who can we learn from and what’s unique to us?

Start listening •Do your own in-country social research•Involve a range of older people with HIV throughout it•Involve older people in service planning & representation•Pay attention to differences

» with other ages with HIV» within this population

•Talk with others serving older people; they have expertise

Start talkingWith HIV services and clinicians

With geriatricians and family/community doctors

With those working in the common co-morbidities

With care & support organisations of and with older people (you can share and support)

With politicians

With funders

With service planners and commissioners

With the media (they need to know how to manage change and portray the truth)

Start serving

current planning & services – are they fit for purpose?

Review

appropriate information and referralsEnsure

new services to meet the needs of older people (health, financial and social for us)

Develop

services to prevent avoidable problems (healthy lifestyle, money advice, housing, peer support)

Develop

Older adults with HIV have voices and experiences that can help future generations

Listen

Policy Recommendations•Get the data: UNAIDS & WHO should include 50+ in their reporting

•Get training: older people’s services must include HIV (and vice versa)

•Integrate care for common comorbidities

•Develop peer support and leadership

•Listen to older people!

Thanks to:• ACRIA and other partners today• MBARC and community researchers• 50 Plus Community Advisory Committee• Joseph Rowntree Foundation• All the people who told us what they were, what

they wanted and what they feared

50Plus Project – www.tht.org.uk/50plus