How HIV Affects the Body as You Age: Health Risks & Prevention Strategies

There͏͏ were͏͏ very͏͏ few͏͏ people͏͏ who͏͏ anticipated͏͏ that͏͏ people͏͏ would͏͏ live͏͏ for͏͏ decades͏͏ with͏͏ HIV͏͏ when͏͏ it͏͏ was͏͏ initially͏͏ discovered.͏͏ Antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART)͏͏ and͏͏ other͏͏ developments͏͏ in͏͏ medicine͏͏ have͏͏ both͏͏ contributed͏͏ to͏͏ the͏͏ fact͏͏ that͏͏ people͏͏ living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV͏͏ are͏͏ now͏͏ living͏͏ longer͏͏ and͏͏ healthier͏͏ lives͏͏ than͏͏ they͏͏ ever͏͏ have͏͏ before.͏͏ Ageing͏͏ with͏͏ HIV,͏͏ on͏͏ the͏͏ other͏͏ hand,͏͏ has͏͏ its͏͏ own͏͏ set͏͏ of͏͏ obstacles,͏͏ for͏͏ which͏͏ many͏͏ people͏͏ are͏͏ not͏͏ adequately͏͏ prepared. As͏͏ time͏͏ passes,͏͏ what͏͏ effects͏͏ does͏͏ HIV͏͏ have͏͏ on͏͏ the͏͏ body?͏͏ In͏͏ what͏͏ ways͏͏ should͏͏ consumers͏͏ be͏͏ aware͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ potential͏͏ long-term͏͏ health͏͏ risks?͏͏ And͏͏ maybe͏͏ most͏͏ importantly,͏͏ what͏͏ steps͏͏ can͏͏ be͏͏ taken͏͏ to͏͏ maintain͏͏ one's͏͏ health? The͏͏ evolution͏͏ of͏͏ HIV͏͏ as͏͏ you͏͏ get͏͏ older,͏͏ how͏͏ it͏͏ affects͏͏ different͏͏ regions͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ body,͏͏ and͏͏ the͏͏ most͏͏ effective͏͏ methods͏͏ for͏͏ maintaining͏͏ your͏͏ health͏͏ over͏͏ the͏͏ long͏͏ term͏͏ are͏͏ all͏͏ topics͏͏ that͏͏ are͏͏ discussed͏͏ in͏͏ this͏͏ article.

14 February 2025

9 min read

823

The͏͏ Effects͏͏ of͏͏ HIV͏͏ on͏͏ the͏͏ Body͏͏ Over͏͏ the͏͏ Decades:͏͏ How͏͏ It͏͏ Has͏͏ Changed͏͏ Over͏͏ Time

HIV͏͏ is͏͏ not͏͏ merely͏͏ a͏͏ virus;͏͏ rather,͏͏ it͏͏ has͏͏ a͏͏ variety͏͏ of͏͏ complicated͏͏ interactions͏͏ with͏͏ the͏͏ body.͏͏ The͏͏ immune͏͏ system,͏͏ organs,͏͏ and͏͏ overall͏͏ health͏͏ continue͏͏ to͏͏ undergo͏͏ changes͏͏ over͏͏ time,͏͏ despite͏͏ the͏͏ fact͏͏ that͏͏ antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART)͏͏ helps͏͏ control͏͏ the͏͏ infection.͏͏ To͏͏ better͏͏ understand͏͏ how͏͏ HIV͏͏ impacts͏͏ the͏͏ body͏͏ at͏͏ various͏͏ periods͏͏ of͏͏ life,͏͏ let's͏͏ break͏͏ it͏͏ down.

Early͏͏ signs͏͏ of͏͏ aging͏͏ with͏͏ HIV͏͏ are͏͏ seen͏͏ in͏͏ people͏͏ who͏͏ are͏͏ in͏͏ their͏͏ 30s͏͏ and͏͏ 40s.

At͏͏ this͏͏ point,͏͏ the͏͏ majority͏͏ of͏͏ patients͏͏ living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV͏͏ are͏͏ already͏͏ receiving͏͏ antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART),͏͏ which͏͏ prevents͏͏ their͏͏ viral͏͏ load͏͏ from͏͏ being͏͏ detected.͏͏ Despite͏͏ this,͏͏ HIV͏͏ can͏͏ still͏͏ hasten͏͏ the͏͏ aging͏͏ process͏͏ in͏͏ a͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ ways:

HIV͏͏ persists͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ body͏͏ even͏͏ when͏͏ it͏͏ is͏͏ under͏͏ control,͏͏ which͏͏ results͏͏ in͏͏ chronic͏͏ inflammation.͏͏ It͏͏ is͏͏ possible͏͏ for͏͏ low-level͏͏ inflammation͏͏ to͏͏ begin͏͏ causing͏͏ damage͏͏ to͏͏ organs͏͏ and͏͏ tissues.
People͏͏ living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV͏͏ may͏͏ experience͏͏ metabolic͏͏ changes,͏͏ such͏͏ as͏͏ elevated͏͏ cholesterol͏͏ levels͏͏ or͏͏ the͏͏ onset͏͏ of͏͏ insulin͏͏ resistance,͏͏ which͏͏ can͏͏ lead͏͏ to͏͏ an͏͏ increased͏͏ risk͏͏ of͏͏ developing͏͏ diabetes.
Some͏͏ people͏͏ have͏͏ osteopenia,͏͏ which͏͏ is͏͏ a͏͏ modest͏͏ form͏͏ of͏͏ bone͏͏ loss,͏͏ as͏͏ a͏͏ result͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ virus͏͏ and͏͏ some͏͏ antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART)͏͏ medicines.

Prevention Strategies

Examinations͏͏ on͏͏ a͏͏ regular͏͏ basis͏͏ to͏͏ monitor͏͏ metabolic͏͏ health
Bone͏͏ density͏͏ scans͏͏ are͏͏ used͏͏ to͏͏ identify͏͏ the͏͏ early͏͏ warning͏͏ signs͏͏ of͏͏ osteoporosis.
Exercise͏͏ and͏͏ healthy͏͏ eating͏͏ are͏͏ effective͏͏ anti-inflammatory͏͏ measures.

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How͏͏ HIV͏͏ Affects͏͏ You͏͏ When͏͏ You're͏͏ in͏͏ Your͏͏ 50s͏͏ and͏͏ 60s:͏͏ The͏͏ Effects.

To͏͏ a͏͏ greater͏͏ extent͏͏ than͏͏ those͏͏ who͏͏ do͏͏ not͏͏ have͏͏ the͏͏ virus,͏͏ those͏͏ who͏͏ are͏͏ HIV-positive͏͏ typically͏͏ face͏͏ increased͏͏ rates͏͏ of͏͏ age-related͏͏ illnesses͏͏ at͏͏ this͏͏ age.͏͏ Studies͏͏ have͏͏ shown͏͏ that͏͏ certain͏͏ illnesses͏͏ manifest͏͏ themselves͏͏ five͏͏ to͏͏ ten͏͏ years͏͏ earlier͏͏ in͏͏ those͏͏ who͏͏ have͏͏ HIV.

HIV͏͏ is͏͏ associated͏͏ with͏͏ an͏͏ increased͏͏ risk͏͏ of͏͏ cardiovascular͏͏ disease,͏͏ specifically͏͏ heart͏͏ disease͏͏ and͏͏ stroke,͏͏ as͏͏ a͏͏ result͏͏ of͏͏ chronic͏͏ inflammation.
Some͏͏ people͏͏ experience͏͏ a͏͏ decline͏͏ in͏͏ their͏͏ cognitive͏͏ abilities͏͏ as͏͏ a͏͏ result͏͏ of͏͏ HIV-associated͏͏ neurocognitive͏͏ disorders͏͏ (HAND),͏͏ which͏͏ can͏͏ cause͏͏ problems͏͏ with͏͏ memory͏͏ and͏͏ concentration.
Damage͏͏ to͏͏ the͏͏ Kidneys͏͏ and͏͏ Liver:͏͏ Stress͏͏ on͏͏ these͏͏ organs͏͏ can͏͏ be͏͏ caused͏͏ by͏͏ a͏͏ combination͏͏ of͏͏ HIV,͏͏ the͏͏ adverse͏͏ effects͏͏ of͏͏ medicine,͏͏ and͏͏ lifestyle͏͏ choices.

Prevention Strategies

A͏͏ lifestyle͏͏ that͏͏ is͏͏ heart-healthy:͏͏ Exercise͏͏ on͏͏ a͏͏ consistent͏͏ basis,͏͏ a͏͏ diet͏͏ low͏͏ in͏͏ fat,͏͏ and͏͏ monitoring͏͏ of͏͏ blood͏͏ pressure.
Regular͏͏ checkups͏͏ on͏͏ mental͏͏ health:͏͏ Keeping͏͏ an͏͏ eye͏͏ out͏͏ for͏͏ the͏͏ first͏͏ indications͏͏ of͏͏ cognitive͏͏ shifts.
Examinations͏͏ of͏͏ kidney͏͏ and͏͏ liver͏͏ function:͏͏ routine͏͏ screens͏͏ for͏͏ the͏͏ purpose͏͏ of͏͏ early͏͏ intervention.

HIV͏͏ in͏͏ Senior͏͏ Years͏͏ from͏͏ the͏͏ Age͏͏ of͏͏ 70͏͏ and͏͏ Beyond

Although͏͏ there͏͏ are͏͏ not͏͏ many͏͏ studies͏͏ that͏͏ have͏͏ been͏͏ conducted͏͏ on͏͏ HIV-positive͏͏ individuals͏͏ who͏͏ are͏͏ living͏͏ into͏͏ their͏͏ 70s͏͏ and͏͏ 80s,͏͏ one͏͏ thing͏͏ is͏͏ abundantly͏͏ clear:͏͏ HIV-positive͏͏ seniors͏͏ represent͏͏ a͏͏ growing͏͏ cohort.

The͏͏ use͏͏ of͏͏ many͏͏ medications͏͏ at͏͏ the͏͏ same͏͏ time,͏͏ often͏͏ known͏͏ as͏͏ polypharmacy,͏͏ can͏͏ raise͏͏ the͏͏ likelihood͏͏ of͏͏ adverse͏͏ drug͏͏ reactions.
Both͏͏ Mobility͏͏ and͏͏ Frailty͏͏ Independence͏͏ may͏͏ be͏͏ impacted͏͏ by͏͏ certain͏͏ issues.
There͏͏ is͏͏ a͏͏ higher͏͏ incidence͏͏ of͏͏ social͏͏ isolation͏͏ among͏͏ long-term͏͏ survivors͏͏ since͏͏ many͏͏ of͏͏ them͏͏ have͏͏ lost͏͏ peers͏͏ to͏͏ HIV͏͏ in͏͏ earlier͏͏ years.

Prevention Strategies

Reviews͏͏ of͏͏ medications͏͏ with͏͏ medical͏͏ professionals͏͏ in͏͏ order͏͏ to͏͏ prevent͏͏ potentially͏͏ hazardous͏͏ interactions.
To͏͏ prevent͏͏ weakness,͏͏ strength͏͏ and͏͏ balance͏͏ activities͏͏ are͏͏ recommended.
To͏͏ overcome͏͏ feelings͏͏ of͏͏ isolation,͏͏ mental͏͏ health͏͏ support͏͏ and͏͏ social͏͏ contacts͏͏ are͏͏ provided.

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Personal͏͏ Accounts:͏͏ Managing͏͏ and͏͏ Thriving͏͏ Despite͏͏ Living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV

"I͏͏ Never͏͏ Thought͏͏ I'd͏͏ See͏͏ 60"͏͏ is͏͏ the͏͏ story͏͏ of͏͏ David.

In͏͏ the͏͏ late͏͏ 1980s,͏͏ David͏͏ received͏͏ a͏͏ diagnosis͏͏ of͏͏ HIV,͏͏ a͏͏ time͏͏ when͏͏ many͏͏ people͏͏ believed͏͏ that͏͏ it͏͏ was͏͏ a͏͏ sentence͏͏ to͏͏ death.͏͏ Now͏͏ 61͏͏ years͏͏ old,͏͏ he͏͏ is͏͏ managing͏͏ the͏͏ complexities͏͏ of͏͏ aging͏͏ while͏͏ living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV.

It's͏͏ not͏͏ the͏͏ virus͏͏ itself͏͏ that's͏͏ the͏͏ most͏͏ difficult͏͏ aspect;͏͏ it's͏͏ everything͏͏ else͏͏ that͏͏ comes͏͏ along͏͏ with͏͏ it.͏͏ My͏͏ cholesterol͏͏ is͏͏ high,͏͏ I͏͏ need͏͏ to͏͏ keep͏͏ a͏͏ close͏͏ eye͏͏ on͏͏ my͏͏ blood͏͏ pressure,͏͏ and͏͏ my͏͏ physician͏͏ has͏͏ informed͏͏ me͏͏ that͏͏ my͏͏ bones͏͏ are͏͏ becoming͏͏ more͏͏ fragile.͏͏ Still,͏͏ I͏͏ am͏͏ present͏͏ here.͏͏ I͏͏ make͏͏ sure͏͏ to͏͏ remain͏͏ active,͏͏ I͏͏ take͏͏ my͏͏ medications,͏͏ and͏͏ I͏͏ make͏͏ it͏͏ a͏͏ point͏͏ to͏͏ enjoy͏͏ life.

What͏͏ is͏͏ his͏͏ most͏͏ important͏͏ piece͏͏ of͏͏ advice?͏͏ You͏͏ should͏͏ not͏͏ allow͏͏ fear͏͏ to͏͏ prevent͏͏ you͏͏ from͏͏ living.

The͏͏ narrative͏͏ of͏͏ Lisa͏͏ is͏͏ titled͏͏ "I͏͏ Didn't͏͏ Have͏͏ a͏͏ Choice—You͏͏ Do."

In͏͏ the͏͏ year͏͏ 1992,͏͏ Lisa,͏͏ who͏͏ is͏͏ now͏͏ 58͏͏ years͏͏ old,͏͏ received͏͏ a͏͏ diagnosis͏͏ of͏͏ HIV.͏͏ At͏͏ that͏͏ time,͏͏ those͏͏ who͏͏ tested͏͏ positive͏͏ for͏͏ HIV͏͏ frequently͏͏ faced͏͏ a͏͏ terrible͏͏ and͏͏ unclear͏͏ future.

During͏͏ that͏͏ time͏͏ period,͏͏ there͏͏ were͏͏ no͏͏ assurances.͏͏ There͏͏ were͏͏ people͏͏ passing͏͏ away͏͏ all͏͏ around͏͏ me,͏͏ and͏͏ we͏͏ did͏͏ not͏͏ have͏͏ the͏͏ options͏͏ that͏͏ are͏͏ available͏͏ to͏͏ us͏͏ now.͏͏ Because͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ severity͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ medications͏͏ and͏͏ the͏͏ even͏͏ more͏͏ severe͏͏ stigma,͏͏ a͏͏ great͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ individuals͏͏ chose͏͏ not͏͏ to͏͏ undergo͏͏ testing͏͏ because͏͏ they͏͏ were͏͏ too͏͏ terrified͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ outcomes.

If͏͏ Lisa͏͏ had͏͏ been͏͏ diagnosed͏͏ with͏͏ her͏͏ condition͏͏ at͏͏ this͏͏ time,͏͏ she͏͏ acknowledges͏͏ that͏͏ her͏͏ journey͏͏ might͏͏ have͏͏ been͏͏ very͏͏ different.

The͏͏ most͏͏ important͏͏ thing͏͏ is͏͏ that͏͏ there͏͏ is͏͏ now͏͏ a͏͏ genuine͏͏ opportunity͏͏ to͏͏ live͏͏ a͏͏ full͏͏ life.͏͏ There͏͏ are͏͏ now͏͏ improved͏͏ therapies͏͏ and͏͏ assistance͏͏ available.͏͏ At͏͏ this͏͏ point͏͏ in͏͏ time,͏͏ individuals͏͏ have͏͏ the͏͏ ability͏͏ to͏͏ get͏͏ examined,͏͏ receive͏͏ treatment,͏͏ and͏͏ take͏͏ charge͏͏ of͏͏ their͏͏ own͏͏ health.͏͏ At͏͏ that͏͏ time,͏͏ a͏͏ great͏͏ number͏͏ of͏͏ us͏͏ did͏͏ not͏͏ even͏͏ have͏͏ the͏͏ opportunity͏͏ to͏͏ do͏͏ so.

The͏͏ message͏͏ that͏͏ she͏͏ sent͏͏ was,͏͏ "Do͏͏ not͏͏ allow͏͏ fear͏͏ to͏͏ dictate͏͏ your͏͏ choice."͏͏ Get͏͏ tested,͏͏ find͏͏ out͏͏ what͏͏ your͏͏ status͏͏ is,͏͏ and͏͏ then͏͏ take͏͏ action.͏͏ It͏͏ is͏͏ someone͏͏ you͏͏ owe͏͏ to͏͏ yourself.

Misconceptions͏͏ that͏͏ are͏͏ widespread͏͏ regarding͏͏ HIV͏͏ and͏͏ aging

One͏͏ of͏͏ the͏͏ most͏͏ common͏͏ misconceptions͏͏ is͏͏ that͏͏ those͏͏ living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV͏͏ are͏͏ unable͏͏ to͏͏ live͏͏ for͏͏ a͏͏ lengthy͏͏ period͏͏ of͏͏ time.

The͏͏ reality͏͏ is͏͏ that,͏͏ as͏͏ a͏͏ result͏͏ of͏͏ advancements͏͏ in͏͏ medical͏͏ technology,͏͏ the͏͏ life͏͏ expectancy͏͏ of͏͏ individuals͏͏ who͏͏ are͏͏ on͏͏ antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART)͏͏ is͏͏ almost͏͏ identical͏͏ to͏͏ that͏͏ of͏͏ individuals͏͏ who͏͏ do͏͏ not͏͏ have͏͏ HIV.

A͏͏ second͏͏ misconception͏͏ is͏͏ that͏͏ if͏͏ your͏͏ viral͏͏ load͏͏ is͏͏ undetectable,͏͏ there͏͏ is͏͏ no͏͏ need͏͏ for͏͏ you͏͏ to͏͏ be͏͏ concerned͏͏ about͏͏ the͏͏ potential͏͏ health͏͏ hazards.

Even͏͏ if͏͏ the͏͏ viral͏͏ load͏͏ is͏͏ undetectable,͏͏ HIV͏͏ nonetheless͏͏ continues͏͏ to͏͏ have͏͏ an͏͏ effect͏͏ on͏͏ the͏͏ immune͏͏ system͏͏ and͏͏ the͏͏ body͏͏ over͏͏ the͏͏ course͏͏ of͏͏ time.

The͏͏ third͏͏ misconception͏͏ is͏͏ that,͏͏ when͏͏ it͏͏ comes͏͏ to͏͏ HIV͏͏ transmission,͏͏ only͏͏ younger͏͏ individuals͏͏ should͏͏ be͏͏ concerned.

The͏͏ reality͏͏ is͏͏ that͏͏ HIV͏͏ can͏͏ still͏͏ be͏͏ contracted͏͏ by͏͏ older͏͏ persons,͏͏ particularly͏͏ in͏͏ post-menopausal͏͏ women,͏͏ who͏͏ are͏͏ less͏͏ likely͏͏ to͏͏ use͏͏ condoms͏͏ anymore.

Benefits͏͏ of͏͏ Having͏͏ HIV͏͏ in͏͏ Your͏͏ Later͏͏ Years͏͏ Today

Despite͏͏ the͏͏ difficulties,͏͏ coming͏͏ of͏͏ age͏͏ with͏͏ HIV͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ modern͏͏ era͏͏ is͏͏ very͏͏ different͏͏ from͏͏ what͏͏ it͏͏ was͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ past.

Treatment - The͏͏ modern͏͏ antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART)͏͏ is͏͏ less͏͏ toxic͏͏ and͏͏ has͏͏ fewer͏͏ side͏͏ effects͏͏ than͏͏ its͏͏ predecessors.
Better͏͏ Life͏͏ Expectancy͏͏ -͏͏ Many͏͏ people͏͏ are͏͏ able͏͏ to͏͏ live͏͏ well͏͏ into͏͏ their͏͏ 70s͏͏ and͏͏ 80s͏͏ if͏͏ they͏͏ receive͏͏ the͏͏ appropriate͏͏ care.
More Research - The͏͏ researchers͏͏ are͏͏ currently͏͏ concentrating͏͏ their͏͏ efforts͏͏ on͏͏ HIV͏͏ and͏͏ aging,͏͏ with͏͏ the͏͏ aim͏͏ of͏͏ enhancing͏͏ the͏͏ care͏͏ that͏͏ is͏͏ provided͏͏ to͏͏ older͏͏ persons.

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FAQs

1.- What͏͏ impact͏͏ does͏͏ HIV͏͏ have͏͏ on͏͏ the͏͏ average͏͏ lifespan?

People͏͏ who͏͏ are͏͏ receiving͏͏ antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART)͏͏ have͏͏ a͏͏ life͏͏ expectancy͏͏ that͏͏ is͏͏ close͏͏ to͏͏ normal͏͏ when͏͏ they͏͏ receive͏͏ the͏͏ appropriate͏͏ treatment.

2.- Among͏͏ older͏͏ persons͏͏ living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV,͏͏ what͏͏ are͏͏ the͏͏ most͏͏ prevalent͏͏ health͏͏ problems͏͏ that͏͏ they͏͏ face?

There͏͏ is͏͏ an͏͏ increase͏͏ in͏͏ the͏͏ prevalence͏͏ of͏͏ cardiovascular͏͏ illness,͏͏ bone͏͏ loss,͏͏ kidney͏͏ disease,͏͏ and͏͏ cognitive͏͏ impairment.

3.- Is͏͏ HIV͏͏ a͏͏ factor͏͏ in͏͏ fasting͏͏ the͏͏ aging͏͏ process?

There͏͏ are͏͏ studies͏͏ that͏͏ suggest͏͏ HIV͏͏ accelerates͏͏ the͏͏ aging͏͏ process͏͏ at͏͏ the͏͏ cellular͏͏ level;͏͏ nevertheless,͏͏ antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART)͏͏ helps͏͏ slow͏͏ down͏͏ this͏͏ process.

4.- Has͏͏ HIV͏͏ been͏͏ linked͏͏ to͏͏ dementia?

The͏͏ development͏͏ of͏͏ HIV-associated͏͏ neurocognitive͏͏ disorders͏͏ (HAND)͏͏ is͏͏ known͏͏ to͏͏ occur͏͏ in͏͏ some͏͏ people,͏͏ but͏͏ not͏͏ all͏͏ of͏͏ them.

5.- Does͏͏ it͏͏ still͏͏ make͏͏ sense͏͏ for͏͏ older͏͏ individuals͏͏ to͏͏ use͏͏ protection?

Indeed!͏͏ Those͏͏ who͏͏ engage͏͏ in͏͏ sexual͏͏ activity͏͏ without͏͏ protection͏͏ are͏͏ nonetheless͏͏ at͏͏ risk͏͏ of͏͏ contracting͏͏ HIV.

6.- Is͏͏ there͏͏ a͏͏ correlation͏͏ between͏͏ HIV͏͏ medicine͏͏ and͏͏ aging?

Some͏͏ previous͏͏ antiretroviral͏͏ therapy͏͏ (ART)͏͏ medications͏͏ have͏͏ adverse͏͏ effects͏͏ that͏͏ were͏͏ associated͏͏ with͏͏ age,͏͏ while͏͏ current͏͏ medications͏͏ are͏͏ significantly͏͏ safer.

7.- Are͏͏ supplements͏͏ recommended͏͏ for͏͏ persons͏͏ living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV?

Although͏͏ a͏͏ diet͏͏ that͏͏ is͏͏ well-balanced͏͏ is͏͏ ideal,͏͏ certain͏͏ people͏͏ may͏͏ need͏͏ additional͏͏ vitamin͏͏ D͏͏ and͏͏ calcium͏͏ to͏͏ maintain͏͏ healthy͏͏ bones.

8.- When͏͏ you͏͏ have͏͏ HIV,͏͏ what͏͏ is͏͏ the͏͏ most͏͏ effective͏͏ strategy͏͏ to͏͏ protect͏͏ your͏͏ heart͏͏ health?

Regular͏͏ screenings,͏͏ exercise,͏͏ and͏͏ diet͏͏ all͏͏ contribute͏͏ to͏͏ a͏͏ lower͏͏ chance͏͏ of͏͏ developing͏͏ heart͏͏ disease.

9.- Is it possible͏͏ for͏͏ HIV-positive͏͏ seniors͏͏ to͏͏ live͏͏ independently?

Unquestionably!͏͏ Many͏͏ HIV-positive͏͏ older͏͏ persons͏͏ are͏͏ able͏͏ to͏͏ have͏͏ full͏͏ and͏͏ independent͏͏ lives͏͏ with͏͏ the͏͏ right͏͏ kind͏͏ of͏͏ care.

10.- In͏͏ my͏͏ capacity͏͏ as͏͏ an͏͏ older͏͏ adult͏͏ living͏͏ with͏͏ HIV,͏͏ where͏͏ can͏͏ I͏͏ receive͏͏ support?

Resources͏͏ can͏͏ be͏͏ obtained͏͏ from͏͏ organizations͏͏ such͏͏ as͏͏ The͏͏ Well͏͏ Project͏͏ and͏͏ ACRIA,͏͏ as͏͏ well͏͏ as͏͏ from͏͏ local͏͏ HIV͏͏ clinics.

Take Care of Yourself!

Remember to take preventative measures and maintain your health as you age with HIV.

HIV-positive aging brings with it a number of opportunities as well as obstacles. Even if there are hazards to one's health over the long term, preventative care, responsible lifestyle choices, and the support of the community can make all the difference.

Next, what steps should you take?

You should discuss health management and screenings with your primary care physician.
Be sure to keep up with the latest research on HIV and aging.
Your future self will be grateful to you if you take care of both your mind and your body.

In need of resources? Make contact with HIV support organizations in order to receive direction.
Having HIV does not present a challenge; rather, it is an adventure. You may live a healthy life at any point in your life if you take the appropriate approach.