Fawcett Chairs SunServe Conference on HIV/AIDS and Seniors

Individuals over the age of 50 represent half of all people living with HIV and they face challenges from both aging and HIV. On Friday, March 31st Dr. Fawcett attended and presented at the 2017 HIV/AIDS Seniors Conference sponsored by SunServe and AIDS United. Serving as conference chair, he assembled a panel of nationally known experts to address issues unique to this population. For example, even if the person is virally repressed, accelerated aging occurs which can lead to cardiological, liver and kidney issues, as well as bone problems. In addition, there are very few resources for psychosocial support of people who are aging with HIV and AIDS.

The conference was open to anyone who self-identified as a senior. While it is easy to assume seniors with HIV are long-term survivors, this is not always the case since seniors represent a significant group of new cases of HIV. The conference consisted of two tracks, one for professionals and one track for the community. Dr. Fawcett opened the conference and participated in panels for care of “body, mind and spirit” as well as a closing panel. That workshop, “The Next Frontier: Building a Collaborative Community of Care” consisted of Fawcett, and other panel members including Mark King, Nelson Vergel, and Bruce Richman. King is an author, HIV/AIDS advocate, long-term survivors of HIV, and two-time GLAAD Media Award nominee for his blog, My Fabulous Disease. King believes his diagnosis is not a tragedy but something to embrace and utilize to make change. Vergel is also a long-term survivor of HIV and the author of two books, Built to Survive and Testosterone: A Man’s Guide. Vergel believes in using testosterone and hormone replacement therapies to prevent AIDS wasting and extending life. Bruce Richman has been living with HIV since 2003 and is the cofounder of Prevention Access Campaign. Richman’s mission is to end the dual epidemics of HIV and HIV-related stigma. Prevention Access Campaign’s message of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) is about getting the word out that people living with HIV on effective treatment cannot transmit HIV, and that there is no shame in being HIV positive.

Over 100 people attended the conference, which was held at the Center for Spiritual Living in Oakland Park, Florida. Conference attendee Dr. Alicia Bosley, staff therapist at SunServe who works with newly diagnosed HIV-positive clients as well as long-term HIV survivors stated, “What a wonderful conference! I was able to connect with professionals in the area and learn new things to apply to my practice with people living with HIV. I was impressed by the insight and clinical knowledge of Dr. Fawcett and the humorous but inspirational anecdotes of Mark King.” The HIV/AIDS and Seniors conference is just the beginning of more conferences like this in the future.

Successful Aging and HIV

In September David returned as a trainer once again for the Positive Living conference. This conference sponsored by OASIS in Fort Walton Beach, Florida is the largest gathering of HIV+ people in the United States. This year over 400 attendees enjoyed a weekend of workshops and socialization. Based on his experience as a mental health professional and a person living with HIV, David presented a workshop on “Healthy Living and HIV.”

Positive Living 1

Does Getting Older Mean Becoming Invisible?

“At 50, I don’t exist
socially in the gay community anymore. Having a drug connection has made me “cool’ although it’s temporary. But it’s better than being invisible when I
want to get laid.”

Steve was
more surprised than anyone that he had ended up in my office for therapy. He was a handsome, fit, financially secure
man who had a good job, a nice home, and a supportive circle of friends. Despite these, Steve had increasingly turned
to drugs, and especially meth, to “connect” with other men, and this had
quickly spiraled out of control. Drugs
helped Steve numb the troubling emotions that arose as he grew older and with
each passing month felt a little less attractive, less energetic, and less like
he fit into a gay community that emphasizes youth and looks.

While
Steve’s comments are based on a narrow view of sex appeal and contain more than
a little self-pity and rationalization, the notion of invisibility and aging is
shared by many gay men. It is true that
both straight and gay culture value physical beauty and youth. Observing change in our bodies as we grow
older can be difficult if we rigidly define ourselves by our looks alone. Steve spent a lifetime classifying himself based
entirely on externals such as physical appearance and his career. Throughout his adult life they buffered him
from shame and other uncomfortable feelings and when those became less
effective he used drugs and alcohol to push discomfort aside. With time, however, nothing really numbed his
fear that he was no longer valued and he found himself in a growing crisis of
identity and self worth.

In therapy,
Steve was able to intellectually understand that getting older didn’t
necessarily mean becoming less attractive. Sexual templates (who you are attracted to) vary greatly among
individuals and, for many, include older men as well as diverse body shapes and
sizes. The real problem was how Steve
viewed himself.

It is
critical at any age to define yourself more broadly than by outward appearance
alone. Otherwise, you miss the inner
spirit that truly defines who you are. Self
image can be enhanced in many ways. Practice
developing an awareness of your unique skills, personal gifts and talents. Get in the habit of identifying positive personality
traits as well as positive physical characteristics (not just what you dislike
about your body –for some that is a real challenge). Develop gratitude on a daily basis and remember
to nurture all of you: body, mind, and spirit.

Connecting
to the community in a variety of ways is vital to this process. You are not alone. SAGE (Senior Action in a Gay Environment – www.sagewebsite.org)
has many activities and supports. The
GLCC (www.glccsf.org) hosts a variety of groups that provide social interaction
outside of bars and clubs, as do many organizations in the faith
community.  It may take a little research, but many
alternatives exist.

Once free of drugs, Steve took a
hard look at his core beliefs and sense of self. To his surprise, he found that the wisdom he
had gained through a successful career and a variety of friendships and
relationships was eagerly sought by a community hungry for role models and
elders. Once he began to value himself
more, Steve felt more confident both socially and sexually.  By valuing more
than just his physical appearance, Steve not only became visible but liked what
he saw.