Older adults with HIV disease: challenges for integrated assessment

Persons age 50 and over have consistently accounted for 10-15% of all cases of AIDS in the United States reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With increased longevity due to antiretroviral medications, we can expect to see increasing numbers of older adults living with HIV and AIDS in the coming years. This newly emerging vulnerable population requires an understanding and sound clinical response that incorporates the needs of both older adults in general and persons living with HIV/AIDS. If older adults with HIV/AIDS are to receive sound assessments from professional social workers, an integration of knowledge from these two, up to now, different arenas of practice will need to occur. KEYWORDS. Aging, older adults, older persons, HIV/AIDS, HIV disease, geriatric assessment, vulnerable populations, at-risk populations, interdisciplinary, social work