This guide provides clear, practical advice to adult social care organisations and anyone working for ... to expand thei
Good Practice Guide information & advice on delivering services to over 50s living with HIV
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Good Practice Guide – Foreword
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Foreword
There are now up to 25,000 older people living with HIV in the UK and in the coming years this number will continue to grow as people living with HIV age and others contract HIV later in life. We know from our ground breaking 50 Plus research, and the experience of running the Health, Wealth & Happiness project over the past 18 months, that a significant proportion of older people living with HIV live alone, experience poverty, have limited family support and will need support from formal services – such as social services, care homes and sheltered housing – as they age. As with any older person, those who are living with HIV deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and sensitivity. Yet many older people fear adult social care services will be prejudiced about their HIV diagnosis and be homophobic. This fear is rooted in many people’s historic and continued experience of age-, HIV- and sexuality-related discrimination. This guide provides clear, practical advice to adult social care organisations and anyone working for and with older people about how you understand and respond to issues facing people living with HIV. This booklet also explores our experience of setting up the Health, Wealth & Happiness project for people aged 50 and over living with HIV in London. We hope that this resource, and the short films that accompany it, will support you as an organisation – whether you are a manager or frontline staff member – to improve the quality of service you offer older people and support you to build on good work you are doing or know about. We have the experience and knowledge to provide the advice and training you need to bring about change. Please be in touch and share this guide widely with managers, colleagues and friends.
PAUL WARD Acting Chief Executive, THT
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Good Practice Guide – Who is this guide for?
Who is this
GUIDE
for and why?
The Health, Wealth & Happiness Good Practice Guide has been written specifically for commissioners and providers within the NHS, social services and community settings. This guide has been designed not only to raise awareness of the needs and highlight the challenges facing older people living with HIV but to provide practical advice to professionals equipping them with the knowledge and skills to better commission, design and provide appropriate health and social care services. We have brought together key findings from consultation, research and evaluation to share lessons learned and encourage organisations to adopt best practice when working with older people living with HIV. The aim of the Good Practice Guide is to provide information, strategies and resources around: X HIV – including transmission, risk, language and ageing. X Specific issues faced by older people living with HIV, including service delivery needs. X Defining good practice in both commissioning and delivering projects for older people living with HIV.
We hope the Health, Wealth & Happiness Good Practice Guide will give you the tools necessary to commission and deliver innovative and appropriate services to older people living with HIV.
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The project did help. It made me feel useful… and confident that I am still productive to society in general and my community in particular. I got educated and valued too.
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Good Practice Guide – Project Summary
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Health, Wealth & Happiness Project SUMMARY In 2013, Terrence Higgins Trust launched the Health, Wealth & Happiness Project, a pilot programme focusing on the needs of older people living with HIV. Our goal has been to support older people living with HIV to gain the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to manage life-changing events. The Project offered: X Advice work – through advice services, older people have been empowered to better manage their day-to day finances, rights and entitlements and plan for their future. Advice work services have increased the financial resilience of older people living with HIV, providing support as they transition into older age. X
Peer mentoring – our trained volunteer mentors have provided opportunities for older people to participate as active members of their community by supporting them to take charge of their lives, tackle challenges and access services.
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Group work – through facilitated group work sessions, older people living with HIV have developed strong social relationships with one another. Sessions for gay and bisexual men and African communities have fostered a sense of belonging while bringing together people from different backgrounds. Based on feedback, we have offered additional technical sessions focusing on computer skills and an introduction to social media.
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Social group – in response to requests from older people living with HIV, we have developed a successful social group. We offer a variety of free events for participants to expand their social networks and consequently reduce isolation.
Service users could access one or all of these services, depending on their needs. A Project Coordinator provided case management, ensuring linkages between all of the services.
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The project has helped to stabilise my physical health. Now I am more likely to get some exercise. The project has encouraged me to do this. I go out more now, and I go to the gym.
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Good Practice Guide – Ageing and HIV
AGEING and HIV Older people are the fastest-growing group in the UK living with HIV. An estimated 24,510 people living with HIV in the UK in 2012 were aged 50 or over and these numbers are set to double over the next five years. Due to effective HIV treatment, more people than ever before are living to older age with HIV. One in four adults (25%) accessing HIV care in the UK are over 50, more than four times the 2003 figure. When compared to their peers, older people living with HIV are disadvantaged in a wide range of ways – from poorer health, to social care and financial security. In 2010 Terrence Higgins Trust, with support from the Joseph Rowntree Trust and in conjunction with Age UK, undertook the first national research into the concerns and needs of older people living with HIV. Our research found that people with HIV aged 50 and over in the UK: X Have twice as many other long-term conditions as their peers. X Are poorer, less economically active and less likely to have savings for old age. X Are less likely to be homeowners. X Are worried about their future social care, health care and financial safety. X Are as likely to experience age discrimination as HIV discrimination.
The two groups most affected in the UK are gay and bisexual men and people who have migrated from regions of the world where HIV is common, such as sub-Saharan Africa. X X
Gay and bisexual men have been, and still are, the group at highest risk of being infected in the UK. There has been a steady rise in the number of new diagnoses in gay and bisexual men. Currently, one in nine gay and bisexual men diagnosed with HIV are 50 years or older. Black Africans in the UK are particularly affected by HIV. In 2012, an estimated 31,800 African born heterosexuals were living with HIV in the UK of whom about 23% remained undiagnosed.
Our research also found that white heterosexuals are often neglected in HIV studies. This same group, however, reported considerable isolation, financial concerns and a sense that existing services do not prioritise their needs.
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Good Practice Guide – A few basic facts about HIV
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A FEW BASIC FACTS ABOUT HIV HIV transmission HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person. There may be enough HIV to be infectious in semen, genital fluids (including vaginal and cervical secretions, semen, pre-ejaculate) and rectal secretions, blood and breast milk. To pass on the virus, infected body fluids need to get into someone else’s bloodstream. The main ways in which HIV is passed on are unprotected anal or vaginal sex, by sharing injecting equipment, from a mother to her baby during pregnancy or birth, or when breastfeeding. HIV cannot be transmitted through: X Unbroken healthy skin. X Coughing, sneezing, tissues, toothbrushes, saliva. X Sharing or touching plates, cups, towels, bed linen. X Contact with small quantities of dried blood, because HIV will not be present in sufficient quantity. X Swimming pools, showers and washing machines. X Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. X Toilets.
HIV and language Some commonly-used words and phrases about HIV and AIDS can be inaccurate or misleading, while others can cause offence and be hurtful. Without becoming obsessive about using ‘politically correct’ language, it is still worth trying to avoid using terms that display ignorance or reinforce prejudice and stigma, and to challenge their use by others. Here are some examples of inappropriate language, with simple, more considerate, respectful, alternatives.
8 ‘AIDS sufferer’ or ‘AIDS victim’ People with HIV generally find these terms condescending and patronising. The implication is that they are powerless and have no control over their own lives or health. These terms (and the assumptions underlying them) imply helplessness or dependency and can lead to low self-esteem in some people. In others they can provoke feelings of anger and resentment. 4 Use the term: ‘person living with HIV.’
8 ‘He/she is HIV’ It is insulting to define someone exclusively by an illness, or to suggest the only noteworthy thing about them is their HIV status. You never hear people referred to as ‘she is TB’ or ‘he is cancer’ so don’t use it about HIV. HIV is only one
part of that person’s life, and to ignore all the other things about them is belittling and insensitive. This term reinforces stereotyping. If you need to refer to it at all, use: 4 ‘He/she is living with HIV.’
8 ‘Catching AIDS’ You cannot catch AIDS and there is no AIDS test. AIDS is not considered a disease, but a syndrome – a collection of different signs and symptoms, all caused by the same virus, HIV. 4 Use: ‘acquiring’ or ‘becoming infected’ with HIV.
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I was provided with and signposted to some excellent advice which served to build my confidence and enable me to continue dealing with my difficult housing situation.
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Good Practice Guide – A few basic facts about HIV
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Equality, diversity and confidentiality Despite significant progress in care and treatment for people living with HIV in the last three decades, reducing the stigma around HIV has taken longer and proven more difficult to address. HIV is still a stigmatised illness and discrimination and prejudice remain issues of concern to people living with HIV. Compliance with the Equality Act 2010: X It is a legal requirement to treat people with HIV fairly and with respect. X It is unlawful to single out someone living with HIV for different treatment, or to decline to offer goods or services to them. Confidentiality It is not necessary for someone to disclose their HIV status. If they do choose to disclose, health workers are obliged to protect confidentiality. The Data Protection Act 1998 also states that records of HIV status must be kept confidential.
Common misconceptions Whether or not you know if someone you work with is living with HIV, there are some simple basic facts about HIV which everybody must be aware of.
infectious they are. HIV drugs are not a cure for HIV – because they cannot clear the virus from all parts of the body. For this reason, someone with HIV will need to take these drugs every day for the rest of their life.
FACT: HIV and AIDS are not the same thing Although they are often mixed up, these two words have different meanings. ‘HIV’ is the name of a virus, whereas ‘AIDS’ is a name for a collection of illnesses caused by this virus. HIV stands for ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus’. ‘Immunodeficiency’ refers to how this virus weakens a person’s immune system, the part of the body that fights off diseases. AIDS stands for ‘acquired immune deficiency syndrome’. It means a collection of illnesses (‘syndrome’) caused by a virus people pick up (‘acquire’) that makes their immune system get weak (‘immune deficiency’). You cannot get an AIDS diagnosis unless you are already HIV positive.
Thanks to HIV drugs, the infection is now something that people can live very well with for a lifetime, especially if they are diagnosed in good time and start medication before the virus does too much damage to their immune system. In that case a person diagnosed with HIV can expect to live more or less as long as someone who does not have HIV, so long as they keep taking the treatment.
Now anti-HIV drugs can control (but not completely get rid of) the virus and far fewer people in the UK develop serious HIV-related illnesses. This means the term ‘AIDS’ isn’t used much by UK doctors now (instead they talk about ‘late stage’ or ‘advanced’ HIV disease or HIV infection). FACT: HIV is not a death sentence. Modern drug treatments can keep HIV under control by stopping it from reproducing. The lower the amount of HIV in the body, the better it is for someone’s health and the less
FACT: There is no cure for HIV HIV treatment does not cure HIV. HIV treatment can stop the virus reproducing in the body.
Why might someone living with HIV be reluctant for you to know? In a recent Terrence Higgins Trust survey, the top three reasons given by people with HIV for not disclosing their status were: X X X
Fear of getting a negative reaction (85%). Fear of the information being passed on to others (79%). Fear the response will be based on ignorance rather than knowledge about HIV (75%).
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Good Practice Guide – Peer mentoring
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PEER MENTORING Mentoring can provide valuable support for older people living with HIV by building confidence and providing support to meet goals. Older people living with HIV were offered short-term targeted support through trained volunteer mentors. What we offered Health, Wealth & Happiness service users were offered the opportunity to be matched with a trained volunteer mentor for up to six months. Each service user identified goals with the volunteer mentor and agreed the steps by which they would measure success. Mentors and mentees arranged to meet weekly in community settings convenient for the service users (as some have mobility issues). After a few months, as matches came to an end, mentors worked with Terrence Higgins Trust staff to make any appropriate referrals.
Establish qualitative and quantitative evaluation and monitoring processes before the match begins, including benchmark data to gauge effectiveness of the mentor relationship. Encourage mentors to write down the agreed goals and provide a copy to the service user. This document can be revisited and used to monitor progress. Establishing clear boundaries will also ensure that volunteers are able to finish matches on schedule and make any necessary onwards referral. Volunteers will need advice on making referrals, so offering a short training session on available services is useful.
We found volunteer mentors were an excellent resource for encouraging and empowering service users. However, at the onset, clear objectives needed to be established and re-visited periodically. By asking the service user to identify what they wanted to achieve, we were able to track measureable change, tailor sessions to meet individual need and ensure the relationship stayed within strict boundaries. There were a large majority of service users who asked for support in reducing social isolation. For these matches, mentors were able to help service users take up new hobbies and join social groups. Suggestions for commissioning or delivering peer mentoring Recruiting volunteer mentors aged over 50 proved to be more difficult than their younger counterparts. Contact your local older people’s services and Voluntary Centres to help with recruitment. All volunteer mentors should attend mandatory training covering standard volunteer practices as well as specific information about HIV. Be prepared to cover transportation costs ahead of the meeting for both service users and mentors who may struggle to pay train or bus fares.
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I went through a stage where I was going back into my shell... but I’ve become more confident about going out. It’s made me feel much less isolated.
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Good Practice Guide – Group work
GROUP WORK Group work enables older people with HIV to share their experiences, meet similar people who understand their concerns and boost confidence. Older people were offered the option of joining specific groups for Black Africans and gay and bisexual men. What we offered Health, Wealth & Happiness service users were invited to join a specifically designed seven-week programme. The groups explored a variety of topics chosen by the service users themselves. We invited various guest speakers to the sessions to explore relevant topics in more depth. We found that service users were interested in issues around the impact of HIV on the ageing process, disclosure, stress management and sex and relationships. Although service users were willing to travel to attend these sessions, issues with transportation did impact on overall attendance. We also found that serving hot food rather than sandwiches had an extremely positive impact on attendance with Black African communities. Suggestions for commissioning and delivering group work If running group work sessions, actively involve older people living with HIV in the development and implementation. Ask them if they would like separate sessions for groups such as Black Africans. In addition, allow the service users to decide and agree upon the subject matter for each session. Establish qualitative and quantitative evaluation and monitoring processes before the first session to gauge effectiveness of specific sessions and the overall experience. Be prepared to have trained facilitators that can incorporate Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or other recognised behavioural change approaches. Transportation costs may need to be paid ahead of the meeting for both service users and mentors who may struggle to pay train or bus fares.
Caring: My Volunteer Story Suzen Bizzarro Project Volunteer I started as a Volunteer Mentor for the Health, Wealth & Happiness project over a year ago. What we do is we go out with a client – we take them out for tea or whatever they want to do each week for a period of three to six months. I have a passion for working with people living with HIV. Many of my relatives are HIV positive, especially back in my home country of Zambia. In Zambia, people have very little knowledge of HIV, even the doctors – many think that if they talk to someone with HIV they’ll get HIV. Looking after people with HIV touches my heart. I take people out, to give them a day out and take them out of isolation. People over 50 with HIV can be very isolated. The best thing for me is the one-to-one time – you get to know someone and they trust you. I would like to do more, and I know I will because it’s a passion that I have. I can look after people with HIV with no problem. I’m proud because I have come so far as a volunteer – from where I was to where I am now – that makes me so proud.
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Good Practice Guide – Advice
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ADVICE Advice work Through advice services, older people have been empowered to better manage their day-to-day finances, rights and entitlements and plan for their future. Advice work services include support around welfare benefits, financial and debt management, as well as information on housing, employment and discrimination. What we offered Older people living with HIV are able to access advice services either in person (by appointment) or by telephone and email five days per week. The Health, Wealth & Happiness Advisor offered general information around increasing financial resiliency as well as information about rights and entitlements. The service was provided during regular office hours and as the majority of our clients are not in work, there was little or no difficulty accessing the service.
We found service users were interested in accessing this service when they might not have accessed group work or mentoring. Service users were particularly interested in information about accessing benefits or changes to benefits. We worked with many people who had not planned to live into their 50s and beyond, so careful planning and guidance on the benefits system were specifically of interest to them. Suggestions for commissioning or delivering group work If offering advice work, ensure staff are adequately trained and that they have information on local referral pathways. Be prepared that older people living with HIV might be anxious about how future changes to benefits will affect them.
Social Group Although not originally part of the Health, Wealth & Happiness Project, we implemented a social group after identifying isolation was a major concern for service users. Lead by volunteers, the service users planned and agreed the social activities for each month. All Health, Wealth & Happiness service users were invited. We found that having a joint social event meant that service users were able to meet a wider range of people. Suggestions for commissioning or delivering social groups If establishing a social group, ensure the project is user-led and run providing support as needed. Encourage the group to undertake a wide range of social events considering any mobility or access needs.
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The Health, Wealth & Happiness project has helped to improve my knowledge of social media, how to expand on Twitter and Facebook, and how to use them.
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Good Practice Guide – Social media good practice
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SOCIAL MEDIA GOOD PRACTICE My Volunteer Story Clive Blowes Volunteer
I started volunteering with Terrence Higgins Trust two years ago. I was looking for a volunteer role working one-to-one with people living with HIV. I joined the charity as a Peer Mentor with Health, Wealth & Happiness and was matched with a service user who I met once a week. Each client presents different needs but in all of them we need to build confidence and provide encouragement. For me it’s about providing a friendly ear. They can be sat alone worrying about something and they just need to verbalise that worry to someone who won’t judge them in any way. Doing that can calm them down and help them think rationally about how they are going to solve issues. We agree goals at the beginning of the match and work each week to ensure those goals are met – perhaps they want to get back into employment or volunteering or want to find a new hobby or learn a new skill.
Social media can play a powerful role in helping older people with HIV to engage and interact with their peers. Based on feedback, we offered beginner courses covering basic computer skills as well as an introduction to social media. What we offered Health, Wealth & Happiness service users were offered introductory training on social media, delivered over three sessions. The aim of the training was to introduce delegates to social media – what it is and why people use it; the different platforms available, such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs; how social media can be a source of information and an easy way to connect with people. Participants were helped to create Facebook and Twitter profiles as well as registering with myHIV (www.tht.org.uk/myhiv), a Terrence Higgins Trust forum for people living with HIV. We found that by assessing each person’s IT skills ahead of the training, we were able to ensure adequate staffing and support, as some people needed help with more basic computer functions. By asking each participant to identify what they wanted to achieve from the training, we were able to tailor the sessions to meet individual need. Suggestions for commission or delivering social media training If running your own social media training, assess each person’s IT skills beforehand. If possible send out a questionnaire to every delegate asking if they have an email account, internet access, a Facebook or Twitter account. Also include questions about any access needs and what they hope to learn from the training. Be prepared for delegates to have varying levels of IT knowledge and, if delegates are new to using computers and social media, have additional trainers on hand to provide personal assistance. Finally, allow time for delegates to discuss their experiences of using social media, consider what platforms work best for them and discuss any concerns they have about using the various platforms.
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Good Practice Guide – How ready are you?
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HOW READY ARE YOU?
Consider the organisations you commission or manage for. How prepared are they for working with older people living with HIV? By initiating some simple practical steps now, you can avoid panic, misunderstanding, anxiety, resistance, unprofessional behaviour and causing offence. Consider the following: Read all about it A good start is to read up on HIV. Reliable and simple information is available on the Terrence Higgins Trust website: www.tht.org.uk Identify concerns and address them Find out what worries, secret fears or hidden misunderstandings may be troubling your staff. Clarify what they already know and where there are gaps in appropriate knowledge and skills. A couple of questions it might be helpful to ask at this point are: ‘If I found out that someone with HIV was arriving at my organisation next week, how would I react?’ ‘How would I want the staff to react?’ ‘Would my response to finding out residents were having sex need to be different in any way if one of them had HIV?’ Respect personal dignity and privacy Know in advance who in your organisation would need to be told about someone’s HIV status, and what they would need to be told (ie, would everybody need to know a person’s HIV status in order to do their jobs professionally and proficiently?). When would be the best time to tell them? How you would present the information, eg, a written briefing, a regular staff meeting, a special staff meeting or individually, face to face? How would you ensure that any personal information about a service user did not get passed on inappropriately? Do you have a Confidentiality Policy in place? Watch your language See the ‘HIV and language’ section on page 5 for some examples of stigmatising and discriminatory words and phrases often used when people talk about HIV, and the suggestions for more sensitive and considerate alternatives.
Institute a formal HIV At Work Policy Many organisations, including NHS Bodies, Local Authorities, Care Homes, utilities and transport companies, now have a clear policy statement that they will not tolerate discrimination against any service user or member of staff on the basis of that person’s HIV status. Make this policy readily available to all staff, contractors, clients, residents and visitors. Terrence Higgins Trust has experience in helping organisations to develop and introduce these policies – contact us for advice. Organise staff training Equip yourself and your colleagues with the knowledge and skills to be able to make safe and informed decisions, and to help you provide high quality, non-discriminatory, risk-free services for people living with HIV. See the separate section on page 13 for some examples of simple training exercises which work very effectively in this context. Be ready to hold refresher training sessions, both for new staff and also to keep yourself and existing staff up-to-speed with latest developments in HIV management and treatment. Ask other professionals Compare your organisational practices with the practices and policies of organisations already working with older people living with HIV, including Terrence Higgins Trust. Use their experiences to enhance your own service provision. Ask older people living with HIV Ask older people living with HIV what they hope to get from your service, what they are anxious to avoid, and what things would make them feel welcomed and included. Check with them how they feel they are being supported, and encourage them to tell you if they feel any of their needs or abilities are changing (eg, needing reminders to take their medication on time, or help aligning tablet schedules with mealtimes). Older people living with HIV generally have a unique perspective on living positively with long-term conditions. If you are properly prepared, caring for them will enrich both your lives.
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Good Practice Guide – Training tools
TRAINING TOOLS A basic HIV Awareness training session can be one of the quickest and most efficient ways of preparing for working with older people living with HIV. It is best to include managers and staff at all levels to ensure everybody gets the same key messages and essential basic information. Training in specific skills can be targeted at the appropriate level depending on need. Be sure to include cleaners, kitchen staff, porters and receptionists as well as carers, advisers, volunteers, staff and managers. Terrence Higgins Trust has accredited trainers who specialise in this sort of training, and can also offer consultancy advice if you prefer to put together your own training package. A training programme should cover the following: X Explaining what HIV is, and some myth-busting about what it is not. X Facts about how HIV is transmitted, and perhaps other STIs as well. X Skills in infection control and risk management. X Information about treatments, side-effects and Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). X Skills in working with and supporting older people living with HIV. X Common terms and appropriate and inappropriate language. X HIV and the law. X Attitudes and values, including challenging stigma and prejudice. X Confidentiality and respect for personal dignity and privacy.
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I thought it would be good for me to volunteer... I’m gay and know lots of people, and it was kind of ‘put something back to an organisation that had given me something.’
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MAKING A DIFFERENCE Danny West Consultant and volunteer
I became a volunteer for Terrence Higgins Trust about six months ago and that’s been really important to me in many different ways. Terrence Higgins Trust has given us the opportunity to be really heard; really listening to our stories and what it’s like… and the services are reflecting those concerns and needs. I feel like I’m able to contribute to help shape these services – that’s been really important to me – and I think that would be important to anybody who’s living with HIV who wanted to do voluntary work. Overall it’s been a very positive experience and it’s been very rewarding.
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Good Practice Guide – Summary and conclusion
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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
This Good Practice Guide highlights the challenges facing older people living with HIV providing practical advice to professionals commissioning, designing and providing health and social care services. In establishing best practice, services should: X X X X X
Embrace diversity and inclusivity. Be designed, led and monitored by service-users. Consider older people living with HIV are more likely to live in poverty. Consider older people living with HIV are more likely to experience depression. Consider older people living with HIV might want to access a wide range of services from social networking, peer mentoring, skills training or advice work.
Make use of this Good Practice Guide. Read it, share with your colleagues and staff. Please contact us for additional copies of this guide or for other information and resources. For more information about HIV or the Health, Wealth & Happiness Project visit: www.tht.org.uk
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Here was a form of support; meeting other people, hearing other people’s views and learning from each other.
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Good Practice Guide – Acknowledgements and Glossary
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Acknowledgements We would like to thank all of the service users and volunteers who contributed to the success of the Health, Wealth & Happiness Project. Terrence Higgins Trust Staff African Emotional Support team, Charlie Witzel, Chris Williams, Cliff D’Souza, Clive Blowes, Darcy Weaver, Dorothea Abok, Garry Brough, Hannah Drinkwater, James Glover, Lisa Power, Matt Robinson, Mirek Boniecki, Neil Young, Shemina Sayani PArtNERS Africa Advocacy Foundation, Age UK, Christian Aid, HIVsport, MBARC, Positively Ageing Forum, Positively UK, RNIB, The Naz Project, The Refugee Council, YMCA Community Researchers David Easton, Michael Parra and Suzen Bizzarro Project Advisory Committee Andy Harvey (HIVsport), Danny West (Age UK), Gavin Crymble (Positively Ageing Forum), Gus Cairns (NAM), Jo Josh (Body and Soul), Leigh Neal, Memory Sachikonye (UK Community Advisory Board), Nick Maxwell (Age UK)
GLOSSARY
‘Guiding Lights’ Angela Anderson, Danny West, Hosanna Bankhead
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. A collection of specific illnesses and conditions which occur because the body’s immune system has been damaged by HIV
Opportunistic infection These are infections that the body cannot fight off due to HIV weakening the immune system
Antiretroviral Medication The drugs that prevent HIV reproducing
PEP Post-exposure prophylaxis is a treatment that may prevent HIV transmission after exposure to the virus
CD4 CD4 cells are the most important cells in the immune system. The more CD4 cells there are, the better
Seroconversion The time at which a person’s antibody status changes from negative to positive
HIV Human immunodeficiency virus, the virus which causes AIDS
Viral load This measures how much HIV there is in a drop of blood
Immune system The body’s mechanism for protecting us against infections and illness
Design: www.wearepostscript.co.uk
Good Practice Guide information & advice on delivering services to over 50s living with HIV A pdf version of this publication is available from the Terrence Higgins Trust website www.tht.org.uk/hwh If you have any questions or comments about this resource or would like information on the evidence used to produce it, please email
[email protected] This resource was created in February 2014. The information included in this resource was correct at the time of publication. We plan to review publications within two years of release. Terrence Higgins Trust is a charity registered in England & Wales (no. 288527) and Scotland (SCO39986) Registered office: 314-320 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8DP Tel: 020 7812 1600 Please visit www.tht.org.uk for more information
