Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 15, 1990 TAG: 9007130832
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
"Support has been dwindling," said Margaret Robinson, chairwoman of the coalition and public health director for the New River Valley. "We're trying to work on that."
Formed in September 1989, the group has tried to obtain support for persons infected with the virus that causes AIDS and for their families and loved ones.
The task has not been easy.
There was little response to the coalition's recent survey. Some of the group's original members have lost interest. And those infected with the virus just aren't comfortable with support meetings yet, said one member.
So far, there have been seven cases of AIDS in the New River Valley reported to the health department. No one knows how many people are invected with the HIV virus that causes AIDS, according to local health officials.
"People are still reticent in rural Virginia; there's homophobia," said Erin Flanagan, a member of the New River Valley AIDS Support Group, referring to the disease's identification with homosexual men. "Those who have AIDS want to protect themselves because they feel they won't be treated with respect and care."
The coalition is revamping its communication efforts and working to educate the public about the emotional, financial, legal and medical aspects of the life-threatening disease.
However, to accomplish this, more volunteers are needed to operate the NRV AIDS Coalition, a member of the Roanoke-based AIDS Council of Western Virginia.
The volunteers work on four subcommittees - steering, education, client services and professional services. Their duties include training sessions for volunteers and professionals; information updates; speaker referrals; a library of materials; and support for local, state and federal legislation.
Robinson described the group as "an alliance of services" for those infected with the virus that causes AIDS, their families and the entire community.
A seminar held by the professional services subcommittee last week, for example, advised funeral home directors on specific precautions, policy suggestions and the psychological and social aspects of dealing with the family of a deceased AIDS victim.
"The service personnel need to know compassion and protection," said Judy Williams, chairwoman of the subcommittee and nursing manager for the New River Health District.
These workers need to know not only how to handle the body of an AIDS victim, "but they need to know how to talk with the family and even the AIDS-infected person about how they would like their funeral handled."
Seminars such as these will be planned annually by the subcommittees, which meet monthly, in order to better educate the public.
Although there have been seven reported cases of AIDS in the valley, "we feel that number is higher," said Karen Poteet, a coalition member and health department nurse.
Williams said the health department does not know the number of those infected with the HIV virus because "people are still cautious about letting someone else know."
A physicians' outreach program is in the works to encourage reporting of known cases of AIDS to the health department so that support can be offered.
"Right now, confidentiality is a problem," Poteet said.
The New River Valley AIDS Support Group is another offshoot that needs volunteers to be "buddies" for those infected with AIDS.
After in-depth training, a buddy gives direct support to a client by listening, being a friend and offering any other help to the person.
"You will learn a lot from the training," said Flanagan, who is seeking help for the support group. "But you need to get out and talk to the people who are suffering to really know anything. And they need our help."
\ WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION
Margaret Robinson, chairwoman of the New River Valley AIDS Coalition, 831-5774 Erin Flanagan, support group member, 951-3189i
Judy Williams, chairwoman of the direct services subcommittee, 831-5774
Maureen Peters, chairwoman of the education subcommittee, 953-0453 Send correspondence to the New River Health District, 212 Third Ave., Radford, Va. 24141.i
The coalition's quarterly meeting is open to the public and will be held July 26, 7-8:30 p.m., at the Christiansburg Presbyterian Church, Fellowship Hall, 107 West Main St., Christiansburg.
by CNB