AIDS: While nearly ten percent of diagnosed cases of AIDS occur in people 50 years old and older, there has been little attention given to this group in the areas of prevention, education, psychosocial support, or treatment because HIV/AIDS is thought to be the disease of the young and sexually active. Evidence points to many infected older people contracting the disease through homosexual contact. Also, older people are often finding themselves dating again due to divorce or being widowed, and engaging in sexual activity without protection. Elderly people presenting with confusion or altered mental status or having severe bouts of pneumonia may first be evaluated for other possibilities before HIV is considered. HIV should be considered in the initial assessment in diagnosis when older patients are having more serious opportunistic-type infections in order to begin HIV treatment as early as possible. Statistics of AIDS cases by age at diagnosis reported through June 1997 are presented.