A residence for those with the AIDS virus has reached its eight-person capacity, leaving five on a waiting list.

STAR -- Supportive Therapy for Persons with Aids and their Relatives -- director Carolyn Armstrong this week told The Royal Gazette that increasing the housing situation for those with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was a goal of the group which is in its tenth year.

"We have a waiting list for the Lighthouse (STAR's home for HIV patients) of about five, I think,'' said Mrs. Armstrong, the coordinator of the Lighthouse.

"We have eight residents at this point because we only have one volunteer here around the clock.'' She said STAR will try to find residences for those seeking shelter at the Lighthouse, but finding homes for HIV infected people was not always easy.

"We are always trying to protect the confidentiality of those infected,'' Ms Armstrong said. "But confidentiality is terrible in Bermuda.'' The founding member also told The Royal Gazette that the Island had not become sensitive to HIV or AIDS despite the fact that 366 people in Bermuda had been diagnosed with the deadly disease and 298 have died since 1982.

"You need a lot of sensitivity around (people with) HIV and AIDS,'' she said.

"That is what is lacking in the community.'' And she added that despite the information available to the public about HIV and AIDS, "we don't behave as informed people''.

"Many people are just ignorant,'' Mrs. Armstrong said, noting those living at risk of contracting the disease and the discrimination, rejection and indifference faced by those with the disease.

In the ten years since the Christian support group's inception, STAR has grown from just visiting hospital rooms to now dealing with all facets of AIDS.

Mrs. Armstrong said STAR's increased focus on AIDS was due to the fact that many symptoms of the disease were now treatable, allowing AIDS patients to return to the community instead of being kept in the hospital.

But she said infected people often faced housing and employment problems as well as discrimination.

"We also have to cater to the families, employers, friends and others who are affected,'' she added.

And STAR was also involved in the school system and the prisons.

"Wherever the needs are, you will find STAR,'' she said. "We follow sufferers wherever they go, be it prison, the hospital or Agape House.'' The group has also been keeping an eye on children living with parents who have HIV or AIDS and orphans.

"STAR became involved with a lot of children when one parent had AIDS,'' she recalled. "So when the second parent dies of AIDS, usually years later, the children are already in STAR's care.'' "The first kids who were in our care ten years ago are now in their teens or are young adults who have managed to have gone on with their lives,'' she said. "And we still keep in touch with some of them.

"For example a young lady in her 20s, who lost her mother several years ago, has befriended a little girl who just lost her mother. This (type of relationship) is very important. The little one can talk to the older one without reservation because she has been through it.'' Mrs. Armstrong said the younger children's experiences were almost identical to what older children went through and have healed from.

And STAR, she revealed, is in the midst of a training period and will have 20 new "eager and zealous'' volunteers for 1997.

She said each volunteer will do 16 to 20 hours worth of training to learn about AIDS, HIV and counselling people with the virus.

Volunteers will also receive counselling on bereavement and grieving, so that they can support those that are dying from AIDS.

"It's a spiritual commitment to love people,'' Ms Armstrong said of the volunteers. "So they (people with the deadly disease) can feel the unconditional love of God. We let them know that their lives are whole and help them to have peace in their lives.'' To celebrate its tenth anniversary, STAR is holding a swim/walk mini marathon on Saturday. The swim will take place at Palmetto Bay at 8 a.m. while the walk/run will begin and end at Shelly Bay. To register, call STAR at 292-5941.

AIDS FACT FILE 366 people have contracted Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) since 1982.

Of that number, 298 people have died.

160 people are now known to be living with HIV, which causes AIDS.

Almost half (49.5 percent) of the people who have contracted AIDS have been between the ages of 30 and 39.

77 have been male.

42.6 percent contracted the virus through intravenous drug use and 30.2 percent contracted it through homosexual or bisexual activity.