3rd Annual Conference on HIV & Aging

Ending the AIDS Epidemic for Older Adults In New York State

Monday, March 28, 2016,  8:00 am – 4:00 pm
New York University Kimmel Center, Eisner & Lubin Auditorium - 4th Fl
60 Washington Sq. South
New York, NY 10012

Featuring:

Demetre C. Daskalakis, MD
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control

Daniel O’Connell
Director, NYS Department of Health AIDS Institute

Nursing CE Credits provided - the NYU College of Nursing, Center for Continuing Education in Nursing is accredited as a provider of Continuing Nursing Education by The American Nurses’ Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation

For more information, contact:

Liz Seidel: Lseidel@acria.org

Sponsored by:

ACRIA

Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nurses, New York University College of Nursing

Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research (CDUHR)

 This program was partially funded by the New York City Council

 


Welcome
Dean Eileen Sullivan-Mark,  NYU College of Nursing


Introduction and Overview
Dr. Mark Brennan-Ing, ACRIA and NYU College of Nursing


Keynote: Ending the Epidemic(ETE) Overview
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, Assistant Commissioner NYC DOHMH, Bureau of HIV Prevention and Control


Panel: Consumer Prospective on the ETE Initiative
Moderator: Danielle C. Ompad, CDHUR, New York University. Michelle Lopez, Connie Dukes, Fernando Ferrer


Sexual Health, Histories and HIV/STI Testing in Clinical Settings
Dr. Barrie Raik, Cornell Weill Medical Center and Dr. Debbie Greenberg, Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine


HIV/STI Prevention Issues Facing Older Adults: PrEP, PEP and Condoms
Dr. Tonya Taylor, SUNY Downstate Medical Center


HIV/STI Social Messaging Targeting Older Adult
Sammy Jurardo, Director at SJ Coaching Network


Multimorbitity in Older Adults with HIV
Dr. Jeffrey Kwong, Columbia University School of Nursing


Infusing Geriatric Care Principles into Care of the Aging Patient with HIV 
Dr. Harjot Singh, New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Center for Special Studies (HIV/AIDS)


Policy Initiatives Addressing Older Adults in Ending the Epidemic
Dan O’Connell, NYS DOH AIDS Institute


Engaging the Community in Ending the Epidemic
Christy Jared, MS, RN, HIGN NYU College of Nursing: Jeff Rindler, The GMHC Buddy Program; Tom Weber, SAGE Programs for Older Adults with HIV; Dr. Elizabeth Figueroa, ACRIA’s Telephone Support Intervention for Depression


Closing: The Context of Ending the Epidemic: Age Makes a Difference!
Joseph Lunievicz, Deputy Executive Director for Programs, ACRIA

ACRIA Awarded Generous Grant for Lifesaving HIV Education

We are honored to announce that The Keith Haring Foundation has awarded ACRIA $25,000 in support of our "Living with HIV" workshops. This generous gift will allow our HIV educators to conduct New York City's only regularly scheduled education series for people newly diagnosed with the disease. As the founding supporter of this program, The Keith Haring Foundation has already provided hundreds of New Yorkers with an essential lifeline during a critical and very difficult time in their lives.       

"The Keith Haring Foundation is proud to support ACRIA's critically important and pioneering work to empower individuals to benefit their own health and the public health," said Julia Gruen, the Foundation's Executive Director. "Through education, training and advocacy, ACRIA has been at the forefront of HIV-AIDS organizations moving us toward achievable fast-track treatment and prevention goals. It is a privilege to assist ACRIA in their determined efforts to improve the lives of those affected by HIV and AIDS."
 
Along with monthly "HIV 101" courses such as "How to Choose the Right Doctor for You," "Understanding Your Lab Results," and "Nutrition When You're HIV-positive," our expert educators also provide one-on-one counseling for those in need of more in-depth care. We are very grateful for The Keith Haring Foundation's generous commitment to helping those with HIV not only cope with the disease, but also flourish as they learn how to manage their illness effectively and live a long, healthy life.   

 

ACRIA's HIV 101: Helping People Cope with an HIV Diagnosis

Imagine sitting in your doctor's office, nervously awaiting your test results. She comes in after what seems like an eternity, and she gives you the bad news. Your entire world has been turned upside down. You are HIV-positive.

How did this happen? What am I going to do? How long am I going to live? Who do I need to tell? How do I tell them? How am I ever going to date again? What will my friends and family think?    

Finding out that you have HIV can be one of the most frightening, confusing, and isolating times in a person's life. It is also a time when a newly diagnosed person must quickly understand the virus, its effect on the body, treatment options, available services and a whole host of complex issues. Although your doctor may be your primary resource for this information, his or her time to work with you is severely limited. And there are so many issues and questions that will arise that won't be able to wait for your next visit . . .  
 
Thanks to the generous support of The Keith Haring Foundation, ACRIA began "HIV 101" in January 2014 in response to the lack of HIV education services for the newly infected in New York City. Despite the overwhelming numbers of people with HIV in the five boroughs, no one was providing regular opportunities for people with HIV to learn about the disease. This was unacceptable. 
 
In the first 18 months of the program, we have helped hundreds of New Yorkers learn how to take better care of themselves and ensure that they live long, healthy lives through our monthly workshops and individual counseling. Based on these numbers and the feedback we have received, "AIDS 101" is now an essential resource for people throughout the city. 
 
Trying to cope with a positive diagnosis can become overwhelming. Our aim is to allay people's fears, dispel myths about HIV, and provide participants with the knowledge they need to live successfully with the disease. Our workshops encourage participants to be engaged in their HIV healthcare and services. We provide simple guidance on discussing medications with doctors, and also cover vital topics such as viral loads, CD4 counts, medication side effects, and understanding lab results. One participant emailed us after attending his first session:
 
"The information I received from the workshop was outstanding and lifesaving.  It helped me cope with a preliminary HIV positive test result, and provided me with real statistical data indicating that with changes in lifestyle and adherence to medication, I would likely live a long and healthy life with HIV. ACRIA connected me with many resources, including an excellent support group."  
 
Another participant told one of our educators that although he had been diagnosed with HIV in 2000, 95% of what he knew he learned through our workshops. Still another noted: 
 
"I not only felt calmer and reassured, but I also had the tools to protect myself and prevent transmission of HIV. ACRIA's staff was supportive, honest, and non-judgmental and probably the reason that I managed to cope with (and literally survive) this shocking diagnosis."  
 
This series of workshops - the only one of its kind in New York City - is an essential lifeline for both the newly diagnosed and those who have lived with HIV for years. As the words of our workshop participants show, the education we have provided has been key to their understanding of the disease, how to manage it, and ensuring that they remain healthy. We are committed to this work but need your help to ensure that these workshops are available for those who need them most in the coming year. Please consider a gift that will provide much-needed education to those who need it most. Together, we can make this program a permanent resource for any New Yorker who needs us in their greatest time of need. Thank you.

 

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