HIV and the Older Adult Taking the Necessary Precautions

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Abstract
1. With the awareness that the population of older adults with whom nurses and other health-care workers come in contact may indeed be HIV infected, the need for universal precautions becomes imperative in all health-care settings. 2. The subpopulations of older adults in which HIV infection is most likely to be concentrated are the same as those for any other age group; ie, homosexual and bisexual men, IV drug users and their partners, people who have received blood products, and sexual partners of people who are HIV infected. 3. It is important for nurses to recognize that older adults may be manifesting the signs of symptoms of AIDS; for example, some people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease may actually have AIDS-related dementia. 4. Gerontological nurses need to be the initiators of implementing universal precautions in their health-care settings.