HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (June 5)
Posted June 4, 2022
HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day (#HLTSAD) on June 5th is a day to honor long-term survivors and raise awareness of their needs, issues, resilience, and experience. The 2022 theme is “Mobilize to Thrive: Prioritizing Quality of Life,” a call to action to prioritize and improve the Quality of Life for long-term survivors and Older Adults with HIV.
About #HLTSAD
This observance day is led by Let’s Kick ASS—AIDS Survivor Syndrome (LKA).
Read an excerpt from LKA’s post about #HLTSAD below:
“HLTSAD is an opportunity to raise awareness that leads to action. We don’t have the luxury of time to wait for the government to do the right thing. We are tired. We are old. But we can still kick ass.
The selection of June 5 for this annual observance coincides with the anniversary of the first official reporting of what became known as the AIDS epidemic on June 5, 1981. When the CDC first reported on five cases of a mysterious disease affecting young gay men. June 5, 1981 is considered the start of the AIDS pandemic.
Today, HIV Long-Term Survivors (HLTS) represent a diverse group of people diagnosed with HIV before the advent of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy or HAART in 1996. We make up about 25% of all people living with HIV and AIDS. 1.2 million people are living with HIV in the US. That makes about 300,000 long-term survivors, defined as individuals who acquired HIV before 1996 and the introduction of HAART—Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy.”
LKA identifies the following priorities for long-term survivors:
- Making the Quality of Life for HLT Survivors and Older Adults Aging with HIV and AIDS A True Priority
- Demand Universal Treatment Access to Help End the HIV Epidemic is the message of Undetectable = Untransmittable #UequalsU #JourneyTo400K
- Prioritize Culturally Aware Mental Health Care
- Overcome the challenges of poverty and economic insecurity.
- Fight discrimination and invisibility which discriminates against Older Adults with HIV and AIDS.
Watch LKA’s short video for HIV Long-Term Survivors below:
https://vimeo.com/171006547?embedded=true&source=video_title&owner=2549133
#HLTSAD Resources
We’ve compiled a list of videos, upcoming and on-demand trainings, and other resources related to HIV and Aging.
Pacific AETC On-Demand Trainings:
HIV Learning Network – Geriatric Assessment for People with HIV, Part I: Multimorbidity & Polypharmacy
Description: According to the CDC, the number and percentage of people ≥50 years old with diagnosed HIV continues to increase, 38% in 2011– to 47% in 2015. In this session, Dr. Meredith Greene, MD will review the changes we as providers can expect in our patients with HIV, and review the essential steps and approach required to complete a geriatric assessment. She will discuss the complexities of patients experiencing multiple morbidities, and how to manage treatment regimens of medications to treat them.
HIV Learning Network – Geriatric Assessment for People with HIV, Part II: Geriatric Syndromes
Desrciption: We invited Dr. Meredith Greene, MD, back to present part II of her June 2021 talk on geriatric assessments to review the IAS-USA 2020 Antiretroviral Drugs for Treatment and Prevention of HIV Infection in Adults 2020 Recommendations that added frailty to the list of recommended assessments to make for aging adults with HIV.
Upcoming events:
HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day Fireside Chat (June 7)
The Ribbon Organizing Center (ROC4AGING+) is holding on a fireside chat for HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day on Tuesday June 7th 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EST (10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST).
The fireside chat will feature Edna Kane Williams, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at AARP, and Linda H. Scruggs, MHS, Co-Executive Director of Ribbon.
Pacific AETC Deputy Director, JaDawn Wright-Morgan serves on Ribbon’s Community Action Board.
HIV and Aging Workshop from the American Academy of HIV Medicine (June 13)
California Statewide HIV & Aging Initiative presented by APLA Health, CHIPTS, SFAF, and PAETC
The mission of this initiative: To build capacity to implement sustainable solutions that address the unique challenges facing older adults with HIV in California.
Wednesday, August 17th 2022 from 10 am – 12 noon: 3rd session of 4 on Oral Health and HIV
More details to come.
Optimizing HIV Care for People Aging with HIV: Putting Together the Best Health Care Team
Reference Guide for Aging with HIV
Resources from our Partners:
- HealthHIV Pozitively Aging Resource (Webpage)
- Gilead Sciences 2021 HIV Age Positively Report (PDF)
- Optimizing HIV Care for People Aging with HIV: Putting Together the Best Health Care Team – Reference Guide for Aging with HIV (PDF)
- HIVInfo HIV Long-Term Survivors Day Resource (Webpage)
- Videos From HIV and Aging Northern California Conference 2021 (YouTube videos)
- 2021 40 Years Of Aids 40 Years Of Surviving Voices (Vimeo video)
