10 Health Tips for Aging With HIV

[Jim Allen]

Saw this one today, anything we feel is missing?

https://www.poz.com/slideshow/health-tips-for-aging-with-hiv

- Adhere to your meds
- Quit smoking
- Treat viral hepatitis
- Control alcohol use
- Abstain from drugs
- Get regular checkups
- See a geriatric physician and other specialists
- Eat well
- Exercise
- Maintain your mental health

[harleymc]

11 There's no such thing as too much bling.

[Jim Allen]

Bling ... lol

12 A good sex life both for body & soul

[fabio]

13 treat yo'self 😂  Haha.

[leatherman]

with over half the PLWH living in America over 50 yrs old, I would have appreciated pictures with older people, and more info about bone density, BP, and cholesterol; not to mention low impact exercise, housing options after retirement, financial planning, Medicare insurance. Except for "See a geriatric physician and other specialists" every other item on the list is something you could tell a newly diagnosed 20 yr old about "living with HIV" instead of someone 40 about how to "age with HIV".

[leatherman]

at the first of this month poz posted this article (https://www.poz.com/article/aging-with-hiv-health-concerns) about the health concerns of aging with HIV. While the 10-Tip article touched on tips to mitigate many of these potential health concerns, a number of those concerns weren't discussed or not discussed enough when thinking about "aging with HIV" and not just "living with HIV"

[Jim Allen]

Yeah, I would agree most of the content could be for anyone living with HIV

[bocker3]

Ah well -- but the two things are the same.  If you are "living with HIV", you are certainly "aging with HIV".  Must we continue to slice ourselves into ever smaller groups, only to become disappointed or offended when others don't call out the needs of said "sliver".

At this point in time I see nothing really different from what I am concerned about as I age than those around me who are aging without HIV. 
In fact, I believe that my living with HIV has put me at a distinct advantage over many of the men I know without HIV in regards to most of the items talked about here.  Many men do not look after their health the way that HIV forces me to - with the doctor visits and blood draws that come with it.

M

[harleymc]

I found nothing irrelevant in the tips for maintaining health for plwhas.

There were some tips that were highly specific or get checkup for cancer, nutrition, heart health etc.  I'm not feeling decrepit enough yet to warrant a gerontologist yet but will consider one after retirement.

Someone else mentioned low impact exercise but that does nothing for bone density. If you can, jumping, skipping or jigging are the exercises that will most benefit bone density.

[leatherman]

my "disappointment" came from hoping the "health tips for aging with hiv" article would have discussed the real world health issues of aging with HIV as discussed in this recently published article "7 Common Concerns Brought Up by People Aging With HIV"

[em]

sounds like good advice for anyone .

but how about

Do not die ?

sounds like a good health tip to me . for anyone .

 

[Grasshopper]

sounds like good advice for anyone .

but how about

Do not die ?

sounds like a good health tip to me . for anyone .

No one lives forever, every living being/organism dies sooner or later.

[em]

all right

do not die yet , maybe

do not die within the near future ?

what advice would you give?

live long and prosper .   

the idea is to make it as later as possible .

[harleymc]

Questions about the impact of HIV on aging, the impact of HIV on non-HIV conditions, notably cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and the impact of aging on HIV.
Talk to your doctor's and or nurse practitioners.

Polypharmacy issues, including the interaction between HIV medications and medications for non-HIV related conditions.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Persistence of loneliness and social isolation.
Change you mindset and get into volunteering.

Heightened concerns about stigma and discrimination, with many participants experiencing stigma and discrimination.
Many people find thAt self stigma and external stigma decrease as time goes by on successful treatment. There is no reason to think that there will be an uptick after a particular age.

Concerns over the lack of safe, adequate, and affordable housing; lack of transportation options, and the increased need for supportive services.
These.issues are huge but they are not unique to the aged or playing, we need to be building coalitions and agitating and seeking out assistance from NGOs.

[leatherman]

There is no reason to think that there will be an uptick after a particular age.

until you're the particular of age of having to find a retirement or nursing home where stigma and discrimination against lgbtq is a horrible problem , much less the HIV issue.