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AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES CONVENES COMMUNITY FORUM TO ADDRESS HIV/AIDS CONCERNS OF AGING POPULATION |
Los Angeles, Calif., October 16, 2007 –A panel of experts will speak at a community forum on October 25 to address the emerging concerns of people age 40 and older who are living with HIV/AIDS. The forum is hosted by AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) as part of its groundbreaking series of community dialogues, “HIV Matters.” Studies show that seniors who are living with HIV show a significantly higher incidence of a range of medical conditions, including high blood pressure and elevated triglyceride levels. Heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other conditions often associated with aging have become increasingly common. In addition, whereas previously limited treatment options made low body weight a hallmark of life with HIV/AIDS, many who now live with the disease suffer from different metabolic conditions, including obesity. “The face of AIDS is aging,” explains Brian Risley, APLA’s lead treatment educator. “New drug treatments enable people with the disease to live longer than ever before. But they and their doctors are now grappling with the question of whether HIV accelerates certain existing or future medical conditions.” These conditions, Risley says, can be complicated by HIV. The panel will address both physical and psychological issues of aging specific to both men and women living with HIV/AIDS. Panelists include Mark Katz, M.D. (Kaiser Permanente); Ardis Moe, M.D. (UCLA); and Ken Howard, LCSW (an HIV-positive psychotherapist). The forum, which is co-hosted by Being Alive LA and UCLA CARE Center, begins at 7:00 p.m. at The Renberg Theatre at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza. Admission is free. AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), one of the largest non-profit AIDS service organizations in the United States, provides bilingual direct services, prevention education and leadership on HIV/AIDS-related policy and legislation. Founded by four friends in 1982, APLA is a community-based, volunteer-supported organization with local, national and global reach. #### |