Health

4 Crucial Tips to Better Life for Elderly HIV Patients

Coming to terms with the fact that you’ve HIV is indeed very difficult. The shocking revelation throws one into a zone of acute helplessness and they just don’t know what the next step they should take.  The thought that keeps popping up in the mind every now and then in this situation is am I going to die?

No matter your age, these are very obvious for just anyone detected with HIV. There are lots of online guidance and resources that help younger people to cope with the trauma of being detected HIV positive. But there is almost nothing available for folks over 60.

A number of top-notch cancer specialists in London are of the opinion that this issue should be addressed immediately because the number of HIV patients above 60 is steadily rising in the UK.

There’re many factors behind diagnosing greater number of HIV cases among elderly citizens. Doctors associated with a private STD testing and treatment near you identifies some of these factors as following:

Reasons behind rising HIV cases among elderly people

  • There’s a general denial among public that adults over 60 are sexually active. The fact is adults over 80 are found to be sexually active.
  • Primary doctors usually fail enquiring about sexual activities of elderly patients. Accordingly, these patients fail getting the necessary prevention information or use the necessary tools that minimise their risk of picking up an STI (sexually transmitted infection).
  • The HIV-prevention tools and campaigns – like PrEP and Truvada – are targeted for the younger people. As a result, older adults are left out from sharing with the necessary information that minimise their HIV risk.
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Mental perception of younger people obviously varies widely with that of older ones. Therefore, it is natural that older and younger people detected with HIV accept and process the fact about their HIV infection differently.  Older people, who’re HIV positive, get more depressed and feel helpless compared to younger people diagnosed with the same.

HIV is known to speedup the ageing process. It further complicates health of older people, who suffer from chronic medical conditions like blood sugar, arthritis and high blood pressure.

In the following paragraphs, let’s discuss some easy but useful tips that help elderly patients detected with HIV regain control over their life.

  • Visit an HIV specialist:

    An HIV specialist doctor is aware about the latest information and treatments related to the infection. As a result, he or she can equip you with effective strategies to keep the virus under check. A geriatric doctor may not be as well-informed about HIV as an HIV specialist.
  • Ask your doctors to interact:

    If you already have a GP in your list and now have added an HIV specialist, make sure they work hand in hand to cater to your health. HIV medicines usually don’t work well with other drugs. Therefore, it is more important that your doctors interact with each other to pursue a common treatment plan for you.
  • Start specific treatment for HIV:

    Initially, you are likely to hesitate to start HIV treatment. But the earlier you get it started the better. HIV treatment has evolved in the recent times. As a result, people have to take fewer pills and go through lesser side-effects. Remember, your ultimate goal is to keep the virus suppressed and your age should not stand in the way of achieving the objective.
  • Do not be isolated:

    It is easier for a younger HIV patient to find a support system than an elderly one. However, that does not mean that you’ll isolate yourself further and make it more difficult for any support to reach out to you. The more HIV patients isolate themselves from this world and the society, their isolation takes a more severe toll than the HIV infection itself. In fact, LGBT elders detected with HIV are bound to feel more isolated than the rest. Explore ways to meet new people, drop in at senior centres and attend various cultural events and community gatherings. Just make sure you’re not living your life inside a bubble after being detected with HIV.
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Last but never the least, book your appointments at STI Clinic London at routine intervals to keep your HIV infection suppressed.  The private clinic is located on Harley Street in Marylebone and is renowned to offer quality support and advice to elderly HIV patients.

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