Can HIV cause brain damage?

I'm doing community service in an institution that takes in people who are HIV positive and/or have AIDS and can't really afford to make a decent living by themselves. I'm dealing with adults who've been diagnosed many years ago, some of them with AIDS. I'm supposed to keep them busy, entertained and as happy as possible, but I'm also required to teach them how to be better citizens (reading news articles, thinking about them, analyzing situations, building up a critical point of view and a willingness to do something to change unpleasant situations.

I only just met them today. I talked to them, tried to get them to tell me about themselves and proposed a game that's a kind of puzzle. When I tried teaching them things (however simple, introducing words and how to pronounce them, or going over the basic rules of a game) I noticed they were a bit slow to grasp the ideas.

After explaining the rules of a game several times and seeing no explanation was good enough, I just decided to let them play their way and win every time, but if they don't understand things so easily, it can be a problem when it comes to teaching them the things I'm required to.

Many of them are in wheelchairs and have lost the ability to move one or both their hands, so I'm wondering if the virus is causing them some sort of brain damage that impairs their ability to learn new things, besides the ability to control their hands and body. If it's the case, I'd like to hear suggestions on different approaches when it comes to teaching anything to them.

(This should be unnecessary, but I expect answers based on studies and no prejudice regarding people who are HIV positive. I'm not trying to start the prejudice, I'm just concerned for them and trying to figure out the best way to make their afternoons pleasant).

Greetings
Please be aware that the folks you are working with may in fact have other conditions in addition to HIV which may impact how they are able to function. That being said, HIV can cause cognitive problems and d the virus can impact the brain. My feeling is however that your folks have other issues in addition to HIV.

Paul

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Yes it can cause infections in the brain that even controlled can leave all the sequel you mentioned.