ABSTRACT
The impact felt by older adults at the hands of HIV infection is profound. The impact of this infection on the over-50 population is extreme for many reasons. Not only must this population cope with the “normal” physiological aspects of the aging process such as reduced ability to ward off infections, the general decreased functioning of the body, the decreased ability to remember, and the physical toll that aging exacts on the body, but they must also cope with the stigma of HIV infection. The difficulty in accepting HIV disease in this age group by the members of the group itself is a problem that is mirrored in the professional and nonprofessional community as well. Some of the group members were accompanied by companions or home health aides who waited in an area outside the group’s meeting room. They became acquainted and formed their own informal support group, which was an unanticipated outgrowth of the planned group.
