Abstract
More than 4 million person aged 50 years and older are living with HIV around the world including more than 2.5 million in sub-Saharan Africa alone. With the successful roll-out of antiretroviral treatment along with continued HIV vulnerability among older people, these figures are increasing. Despite this, the global HIV response has largely ignored the unique needs, characteristics and resilience of older populations. After years of neglect, UNAIDS acknowledged older adults in their 2014 report but issues of co-morbidities, ageism, inappropriately targeted services and the burden of caregiving continue to hamper effective and rights-based responses. This symposium - facilitated by the Gerontological Society of America’s HIV and Aging Interest Group - brings together perspectives from Africa and Canada to highlight the diverse challenges facing older people. The symposium will allow participants to share experiences and examine issues of access to care, burden of disease, cognitive decline and social isolation with a view to improving policy development and quality of care.