Have you talked to YOUR parent about safe sex?

Have you talked to your parent about safe sex?

If not, Jacki Gethner will. Jacki Gethner (LMT, Certified Drug and alcohol Councilor and Reiki Master) has been hard at work as a HIV/AIDS educator with a specific focus on women who are over the age of 50 whose lives have been effected by HIV or AIDS.

Why, should I think about this?

Currently, women over 50 represent the fastest rate of growth in new cases of HIV and  reported cases of syphilis and chlamydia  among people ages 55 and up have increased 43 percent from 2005 to 2009.   Some of the reasons behind this: people are living longer and healthier lives which has included the advent of Viagra and other sex-enhancing medications.  Additionally, safer-sex information hasn’t been targeted to the over 50 group.  Thus their condom usage is lower.

While it may be unpleasant to think about this conversation with our parents, as healing practitioners, we should consider this conversation with our patients or clients and inform them with age appropriate health information.

Resources

The Body

http://www.thebody.com/content/art58799.html

Jacki Gethner

http://jackigethner.com/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

http://www.cdc.gov

National Association of HIV Over Fifty

http://www.hivoverfifty.org

National Institute on Aging Information Center

http://www.nia.nih.gov