WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Susan Collins, who is the Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, today announced that Kenneth "Kenney" Miller, Executive Director of the Down East AIDS Network (DEAN) is scheduled to testify before a Committee hearing this week titled, "Older Americans: The Changing Face of HIV/AIDS in America." The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18 at 2:00 PM, 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building.
Senator Collins, along with the Committee's Chairman, Bill Nelson, will focus on the medical and social challenges associated with an HIV/AIDS population that is aging. Of the 1,654 people living in Maine with a diagnosis of HIV, about 50 percent are over age 50. Mr. Miller is expected to testify about a number of related issues, including the special challenges facing older individuals who live in rural areas.
"Advances in medicine have drastically improved the quality of life, as well as increased the life expectancy of those who are HIV positive and living with AIDS, said Senator Collins. While these are extremely positive developments, we must now look at the changing needs of older patients with the disease, and how we can better meet these needs. I look forward to hearing testimony from Kenney Miller and learning of his experiences as Executive Director of the Down East AIDS Network."
Also scheduled to testify are Dr. Ronald Valdiserri, an official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Carolyn Massey, an HIV patient and activist from Maryland; and Daniel Tietz, Executive Director of the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America (ACRIA).