ASN - Aids Support Network - San Luis Obispo County
Living Positive
How can a client continue “Living Positive”? By taking a pro-active role in their health care, clients can maximize their health outcomes and minimizing the risk of further HIV transmission.
Keeping Healthy
Connecting with a local primary care doctor is vital, even if the client sees a specialist in another area. Having a resource in the community allows the client to touch base with a doctor in case of emergency or for other health issues. ASN’s Health Counselor can help a client with local referrals.
It is recommended that clients get at least two comprehensive medical evaluations with laboratory work each year. With the client’s physician, their health status and their medication regime can be clearly assessed. ASN’s Benefit Counselor can assist clients in accessing benefits programs that can cover medical costs. Our AIDS Drug Assistance Program can help clients cover medication costs if a client is eligible. ASN also has limited funding to cover those clients who are not eligible for insurance programs.
Understanding HIV is important in managing it. With help from a client’s physician, the ASN Health Counselor and ASN’s informational forums, clients can educate themselves regarding healthy lifestyle choices, HIV progression, medication and side effects, etc.
Having a vibrant support system is vital for our clients. Often clients feel isolated and stigmatized by their disease. If clients feel overwhelmed, ASN can help fund counseling services to resolve issues surrounding their diagnosis, their support systems, etc. ASN’s volunteers can also provide support through the “buddy” program.
Keeping Others Healthy
Risk reduction education helps a client reduce or eliminate behaviors which may put the client and others at risk for transmission of HIV, hepatitis B or other sexually transmitted diseases. ASN’s Health Counselor can help a client assess their own behavior and guide them on a path toward change.
Another challenging component to living with HIV is disclosing one’s HIV status. The Health Counselor can discuss what this means for individual clients and help them with notifying partners – such as, accompanying a client, or notifying someone with the client’s anonymity maintained - to make sure that appropriate people are tested for HIV and understand their own risk.
