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Dear friends,

We’re calling on our community to speak out for the needs of older adults living with HIV. 

The San Francisco Department of Aging and Disability Services (DAS) oversees the Dignity Fund, one of the main funding sources in SF for services for older adults. However, DAS does not spend any Dignity Fund dollars—or any other DAS funds—directly on services that focus on our community.

Every four years, the DAS is required to conduct a community needs assessment to guide the spending of Dignity Fund dollars. This is our opportunity to push DAS to commit Dignity Fund resources to HIV-and-aging services. 

Cover of the Dignity Fund's 2021-2022 Community Needs Assessment

Here are ways you can participate: 

  • Take an online survey.
  • Register to speak virtually at a forum on September 18 (5-6pm) or at one of several in-person community fora between now and September 10.

Here are some helpful talking points:

  • Almost three quarters (74%) of people living with HIV in San Francisco are older than 50 years old. 
  • The distinct physical, mental, and social difficulties encountered by people aging with HIV requires a distinct response from the aging-services system.
  • Older adults living with HIV commonly experience health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer (likely due to chronic inflammation caused by HIV).
  • Because of the destructive effects of the HIV epidemic on their social networks, people aging with HIV face social isolation and loneliness at a higher rate than other older adults.
  • The LGBTQ Older Adult Survey, conducted in San Francisco in 2021, found that LGBTQ+ older adults living with HIV are more likely than LGBTQ+ seniors in general to experience post-traumatic stress disorder and need financial assistance. 
  • In 2018, a study funded by DAS, the Research on Older Adults with HIV 2.0 study, noted a high incidence of loneliness among people aging with HIV. The study authors recommended “offering more opportunities for older adults with HIV to socialize, whether building on existing programs or creating new ones.”

Thank you for helping us advocate for the needs of older adults living with HIV!