Elderly ‘Bear Brunt of AIDS Care’

By Imogen Foulkes, BBC News

April 5. 2002

World

Thousands of children have been orphaned by Aids

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies says the elderly are the forgotten victims of the Aids pandemic.

The federation warned that HIV and Aids were having a dramatic effect on the health of older people, not just because they were ill themselves, but because many were having to care for infected family members.

The statement was issued in Geneva in advance of the world assembly on ageing, which begins in Spain on Monday.

The Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies estimates that in Africa alone five million grandparents have become the primary carers for their grandchildren because the children's own parents have died from Aids.

Meanwhile many more elderly people are nursing their own adult sons and daughters through the final stages of the disease and at the same time looking after the young ones.

Financial difficulties

The federation calls the elderly the forgotten victims of the Aids tragedy and warns that the consequences of the disease are having a profound effect on the older generation worldwide.

It says older people urgently need better psychological support and information on how to care for their sick and dying children.

Financial support is also necessary. The federation says many older people are in a desperate situation trying to meet the needs of the many children in their care, from food and clothing to school fees and doctors' bills.

And the situation is compounded by the stigma associated with Aids, which leaves many elderly people isolated from their communities.

The federation made its statement to mark the opening of the non-governmental forum of the World Assembly on Ageing.

The assembly, which is the first such meeting in 20 years, officially opens in Madrid on Monday.

Copyright © Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us