AEGiS-15IAC: [LbOrD27] AGED PEOPLE: THE REFUGE AND COMFORT OF ORPHANED CHILDREN, AN ENDURING AND STEADFAST CARE GIVERS OF PATIENTS, AND A LIFE-GIVING FORCE IN THE PREVENTION OF HIV/AIDS; AN EXPERIENCE IN THE RURAL VILLAGES OF KALASIN PROVINCE, THAILAND

15th International AIDS Conference

Bangkok, Thailand — July 11-July 16, 2004

[LbOrD27] AGED PEOPLE: THE REFUGE AND COMFORT OF ORPHANED CHILDREN, AN ENDURING AND STEADFAST CARE GIVERS OF PATIENTS, AND A LIFE-GIVING FORCE IN THE PREVENTION OF HIV/AIDS; AN EXPERIENCE IN THE RURAL VILLAGES OF KALASIN PROVINCE, THAILAND

Int Conf AIDS. 2004 Jul 11-16;15:Abstract No. LbOrD27

A Siega¹, N Bubpa²
¹Daughter of Charity, Kuchinarai, Kalasin Province, Thailand; ²Norwegian Church Aid( NCA), Bangkok, Thailand

ISSUE: New cases of HIV infection are increasing among the youth in rural areas of Thailand. The aged people do not talk about sex and other related matters on HIV/AIDS with their children and they silently suffered while taking care of their sick children concentrated with this virus without raising problems to the community.

DESCRIPTION: As shown in our observation during last 5 years of the 42 families served, 72 orphaned children and youths living in the villages of Kuchinarai and Huay Phung district, Kalasin Province, Northeast of Thailand. The grandparents took care of these young people after these aged people gave the best to serve their sick children. Since in the Thai society especially in the rural areas, the elderly people are respected and thus can be influential, the project decided to try to gather 5 elderly people to share their common experiences. Then inviting as many elderly people for meetings every first Friday of the month. Those with experiences talked with conviction to other aged people against the prevention of HIV/AIDS and asked them to communicate their message especially to the youth-members of their families. In the year 2003, 30 aged people regularly attended the meeting and they started to talk about the magnitude and impact of HIV/AIDS to their own young family members. This had been noticed by the health officers and some school teachers of the area.

LESSONS LEARNED: The sharing of the aged people's convictions and experience on HIV/AIDS to other elderly people as a means of raising awareness and prevention of this dreadful disease is less expensive and can be effective. Moreover, taking care of ones orphaned grandchildren afflicted/ affected by HIV/AIDS give these aged people added impetus to want to live longer.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Tap the aged people who take care of their orphaned children afflicted/affected by HIV/AIDS to help fight this dreadful disease by equipping them with the knowledge and understanding on HIV/AIDS and to share its magnitude, impact and burden upon them as they experienced.

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