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Key Text Coping with Love: Older People with HIV/AIDS in Thailand

Author: HelpAge International
Date: 2005
Size: 39 pages (404 KB)

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Summary

Although Thailand’s HIV/AIDS epidemic has received a lot of attention over the last decade, little information exists about its impact on older people. This report from HelpAge International (HAI) presents the findings of research carried out in northern Thailand. It highlights the issues faced by older people affected by HIV/AIDS, the contributions they are making to their households, and the lack of services and support available to them. A key conclusion is that older people remain an untapped resource for responding to the crisis and for improving socio-economic conditions.

Thailand has one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV infection among countries in Asia. HAI’s experience in Thailand and globally shows that HIV/AIDS has had far-reaching economic, social and psychological effects on older people, destroying their hopes and security for the future, and bringing new responsibilities as household breadwinners and carers. The risk of infection of older people has also been consistently underestimated. By hitting the middle generation, HIV/AIDS strikes at the heart of how families and communities provide for the older and younger generations. HIV/AIDS deepens the poverty of already poor older people; especially as older people are now primary carers for those with HIV/AIDS and their grandchildren.

HIV/AIDS in Thailand has affected older people in a variety of ways and has altered their lifestyle considerably. Older people (particularly women) play a significant caregiving role, yet a lack of data obscures the impact of the disease on this group, and few HIV/AIDS interventions target older people.

  • Adult children are a key source of income support for older people, who have limited access to social services and find it difficult to make a living. Infection among family members makes their situation more precarious.
  • The majority of affected households are marginalised and living in poverty. Those where the older person is the sole provider and guardian require the most assistance.
  • Older people play an important role in community groups. In addition, social relations are an important source of support to older carers, but stigma and discrimination around HIV/AIDS lead to isolation and depression.
  • Older people have little knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission and treatment, and are unaware of the services available to support carers.
  • HIV/AIDS places strain on inter-generational relationships, and children in affected households are also concerned about finances, their education, and the future. Grandparents are children’s first choice carer.
  • Local leaders are beginning to recognise the needs and role of older people, but service providers still lack skills and knowledge on older people.

In most communities affected by HIV/AIDS in Thailand, older people remain an untapped resource for responding to the crisis and for improving socio-economic conditions. More needs to be done to involve older people in HIV/AIDS intervention programmes, and they should be consulted on policy issues and strategy. Recommended actions are:

  • Targeting of information on HIV/AIDS at older people.
  • Provision of direct income support to older people.
  • Provision of training and capacity-building for public health care workers, community leaders and members and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to enable them to better deal with the needs of older people.
  • Tackling stigma and discrimination and strengthening social networks.
  • Creation of scholarship funds for grandchildren affected by HIV/AIDS.
  • Promotion of inter-generational relationships.
  • Collection of age-disaggregated data on HIV/AIDS.

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Source: HelpAge International, 2005, ‘Coping with Love: Older People with HIV/AIDS in Thailand’, HelpAge International - Asia/Pacific Regional Development Centre, Thailand
Author: HelpAge International, Asia/Pacific, http://www.helpage.org/Worldwide/AsiaPacific


 
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