Thailand has one of the highest HIV-infection rates in Asia. The epidemic affects older people in a number of ways:

• Large numbers of older people are bringing up orphans and vulnerable children, and caring for those AIDS. These responsibilities put significant strain on already stretched household finances.
  
• Caring for grandchildren puts enormous physical and psychological stress on older people.
• Older people’s needs and concerns are often overlooked by HIV and AIDS programmes because of the assumption that older people are not affected by the virus.
• The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing recognises the need to support older people in their role as carers.
• The Millennium Development Goals to halve extreme poverty and halt the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015 will not be achieved if older people’s contribution to the global fight against AIDS is not supported.

Aims

The project aims to:

• enable older people affected by HIV and AIDS, and their families, to cope better with their situation, by improving care and support systems

• raise awareness about the impact of HIV and AIDS on older people, so that they are included in services, programmes and strategies to respond to the epidemic.

Activities

HelpAge International, with support from partner organisation Help the Aged, worked with five local partners in 15 villages in Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces. Older people who were affected by HIV and AIDS took part in consultations.

Community surveys were carried out to identify those in need. Community volunteers, including older people, were recruited to make home visits to older people affected by HIV and AIDS and other vulnerable groups.

Older people and their families now receive practical support in care, income-generating activities and parenting.

A support group of older people affected by HIV and AIDS meets weekly to share their feelings and ideas. They also receive information on HIV and AIDS, and health checks.

Awareness-raising activities include promoting older people’s participation in key events, such as the International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, and networking with other groups working on HIV and AIDS.

Achievements

• Members of the support group are more comfortable talking about issues relating to HIV and AIDS and have become more involved in social activities.
• Family members are recognising the contribution of older people, as the whole family benefits from older people’s income-generating activities.
• People in traditional counselling roles, such as monks and healers, have been provided with information on the impact of HIV and AIDS on older people.
• A music CD on HIV and AIDS has been produced, highlighting the role and contributions of older people.

The future

Local government authorities, and community and religious leaders, are including older people in HIV and AIDS-related projects and budget allocations.

Chairacha, project coordinator for the Community Care Network (CCN) in Chiang Mai, says, “Our project will train older people in HIV and AIDS education. They are like a boat, taking the next generation to their destination, so you need to repair the boat to make sure it’s OK.”

Partners

The Community Care Network (CCN)
Consortium for Community Development (CCD)
Foundation for Older Persons’ Development (FOPDEV)
Group for Children (GFC)
Holistic Health Care Project
Mother and Child Concern Foundation (MCCF)
Narirak Centre for development of Children, Youth and Older Persons
Northnet Foundation (NF)