There are fewer age limits than you might think surrounding this one..

Dear LPG,

I know that by the time I have perfected this little letter and sent it off to you for posting, a couple of months may well have gone by, but I want to cast LPG readers’ minds back to Lewisham Peoples day which took place in early July this year, and bring some information that I learned there to your attention.

I did go and know that a lot of older people find getting there quite challenging because, in spite of the really nice weather, we older and less mobile Lewisham citizens often have to sit it out as we come to the realisation that the one thing that is involved is a lot of walking.  Mountsfield park seems to grow in area on that particular day.

One of the first stalls that caught my eye this year was one promoting something called PrEP which I was absolutely sure had no relevance at all to people as old as me. 

But when I got home I Googled and found some statistics which made me think differently.   As we all know, different sets of statistics tell different stories, but there is definite evidence that being over 70 or even 80 is not a reason for ceasing to enjoy an active sex life these days. 

Did you know that research shows well over 30% of women and men over the age of 7o still have an active sex life and these are only the people who will talk about it enough to be added to a list of statistics? 

The internet also informs that there are other ways of becoming infected including sharing a handshake or a bit of cutlery with an infected person but intimacy with an HIV sufferer remains one of the major transference methods.  This being the case, a proportion of elders is as ‘at risk’ as any other section of our community. 

Even though HIV is no longer the ‘killer illness’ that it was a couple of decades ago it is good to know that there are preventative options available now.  The advice offered was that if you feel that you regularly interact, or have interacted with anyone or thing that presents an element of risk in your lifestyle, having regular HIV tests can be helpful.  They can be obtained via your GP and the ‘DO It London’ campaign, the organisation responsible for the stall at People’s Day, have much advice for all. Another source of information is the Terrence Higgins Trust where it is possible to get advice on their advice line: - 0808 802 1221.  Having an HIV test can even be done with a kit in your home and there is undetectable medication which will prevent passing it on.

People’s day brought home to me that it affects people of all ages. 

CS. Greenwhich

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