Advice on Aging Well With HIV

Paul Yabor, 50, Philadelphia, Pa.; Diagnosed in 1990

Be true to thyself and to thy own self be true. Learn to listen to your body, your mind and your heart. At the end of the day, it is you who must live with the decision you make. The quality of life you live has as much to do with how you deal with stress, pursue happiness and avoid negativity as it does with your medication regimen and adherence.

Don't be strictly ruled by lab numbers and pill regimens. Work closely with a doctor who knows you best and can offer you treatment options that work best in the context of your life. Most of all, appreciate that you are alive. So many have fallen in the battle with this disease, but as long as we are alive there is always hope for a day when HIV/AIDS will come to an end.