People over 50 years of age have consistently comprised 10% of all cases diagnosed with AIDS in the United States. Older people with AIDS have been found to differ both in the clinical course of the disease as well as in their need for services. A comparison of 49 patients, 10 of whom were over age 50, revealed that older persons were more functionally impaired at the time of enrollment in a home care program than those under 50 years. Additionally, older individuals were less likely to utilize emotional support services commonly offered by the AIDS network than are their younger counterparts.