National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day (NHAAD) is observed annually on September 18th. The NHAAD theme is “Aging is a part of life; HIV doesn’t have to be!” The AIDS Institute and the National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day Planning Committee encourage you and your organization to use social media to reach older adults about the importance of getting tested for HIV and how to further protect themselves. Many older adults are not getting tested for HIV. The misconception that older adults do not have sex or use drugs leads to a lack of HIV testing among this population. Lack of public education about HIV/AIDS targeted at older adult’s means this demographic may also be less knowledgeable or aware about how to protect themselves against infection. Furthermore, advances in the treatment of HIV means that more and more people diagnosed with the virus are living longer than expected, yet there is a shortage of social service and support mechanisms for older adults living with HIV/AIDS.
General resources on HIV/AIDS and the older adult population
The AIDS Institute
www.TheAIDSInstitute.org
www.facebook.com/TheAIDSInstitute
NHAAD
www.NHAAD.org
www.facebook.com/pages/National-HIVAIDS-and-Aging-Awareness-DayNHAAAD/106557336057829?ref=hl
AIDS.gov
www.aids.gov
https://www.facebook.com/AIDS.gov/info?tab=page_info
locator.aids.gov
AOA
aoa.acl.gov www.facebook.com/aclgov
ACRIA
www.acria.org www.facebook.com/pages/ACRIA/100891271472
HIV
www.cdc.gov/hiv gettested.cdc.gov
www.facebook.com/cdchiv
HRSA
www.hab.hrsa.gov
www.facebook.com/HHS.HRSA
SAGE
www.sageusa.org www.facebook.com/SAGEUSA
National Resource Center on LGBT Aging
www.lgbtagingcenter.org
www.facebook.com/lgbtagingcenter
