aging with HIV

[harleymc]

Ageing with HIV has been highlighted as an important theme this week at the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020: Virtual).
Study on ageing https://forums.poz.com/index.php?board=9.0

I saw that the majority of study subjects were on disability support.  So I suspect  from my previous attempts to access support and getting rejected, that The subjects are self selected rather than typical of the older HIV population.

[leatherman]

The subjects are self selected rather than typical of the older HIV population.

it could depend on the country of origin.

Here in the states, at least in North and South Carolina from what I've seen by the Ryan White quality management program numbers, a majority (about 2/3rds) of PLWH over 50 who are LTS (25+yrs) also receive disability support. (but not everyone. I receive disability but my husband who was diagnosed the same year has never been sick enough to receive disability) Over the years as meds have improved the quality of life for all PLWH, it's been harder to obtain disability because of HIV/AIDS in the USA, so an older person diagnosed now is very unlikely to receive disability.

[em]

If I recall the rules for social security disability for HIV

Tcell CD4 below two hundred and two opportunistic infections to qualify ?

one opportunistic infection with a below two hundred could kill you ? but to qualify for disability you needed two ?

this was thirty years ago ?
that was if I recall correctly how it was worded .

now with meds staying above two hundred and maintaining a good health is far better than the alternative of getting that sick just to get some disabitly income.

[em]

getting approved for social security or disability pay

 previous attempts to access support and getting rejected,

in my own experience. it is all in the wording of the application.

My own dad . was down and out . lost a few jobs . He had nothing.

So I suggested he put in application for social security.

He said I could claim I am an alcoholic? I told him to word it differently because going in like that they may not approve it . I told him to say that he has been self medicating with alcohol to help him deal with his mental health issues ?   

He was  approved. Problem with his approval ? He had taken the money he had and went on a trip to the grand canyon with it . then was broke again .  what you going to do right. His money he can do with it what he wanted to do.

He passed away shortly after that . But he had a vacation trip he had not done much of anything for years prior but work and just barely get by.

Mental health is a way to get social security benefits. Getting benefits for HIV is more difficult.  THis has been the case in people I know who have gotten approved.

I hope this helps

EM