Meeting the needs of older people in prison

2nd October 2013

Prison Reform Trust

• Research programme

• Media and policy work

• Advice and information service

• Website e-newsletter

• Factfile

Current projects

• Outreach and education• Care not custody• Reducing women’s

imprisonment

Context

• Cuts• Changes• Competition• Crowding

Doing Time

Key questions

• How old is an older prisoner?

• Who is an older prisoner?

Older prisoners 1) Numbers of people over 60 – fastest growing group in prison population 2) Needs -harder to detect/identify needs

Needs - overview

• Standards of accommodation vary• Some older prisoners are not having their social

care needs assessed or adequately met• Lack of appropriate activities and isolation• Sentence progression and resettlement needs

not always met• Healthcare improved over last few years but

screening and preventative health care not routinely available

Accommodation

I can’t get my wheelchair through the door of my room and I have to try and get from the entrance to my bed

Because I need a walking stick I can't have a shower because I might slip and there is nothing to hold on to or chairs to sit on.

I have a heart condition - and can’t get to the library or education I have to stay in this unit all day long.

Allocation and accommodation

Social care

• I could only obtain one small walking stick to help me get around. It took healthcare staff over six weeks to find me two longer sticks to support myself.

• I have bladder trouble especially at night and I often wet my clothes and bedding. I am very embarrassed about this and don’t want to be a nuisance.

Social care

• Care Bill currently in parliament – clarifies responsibility (questions on resources, liaison and safeguarding)

Activities

• As a 60 year old I pride myself that I can keep up with the younger ones – that includes down at the gym. I don’t want to be written off yet – there’s still plenty of life in the old dog!

• I started yoga and it was great. Then they said it was detox yoga. Most of the women with drug problems are younger. I started doing meditation and the same thing happened – it became detox meditation!

Sentence progression and resettlement

• None of us can be sure if or when we will ever get out.

• I’ve done all that they have asked me to do for over 20 years and I am tired of going on in the hope that if I do one more course I will be released to spend my last few years in freedom.

• Who’s going to employ me? I’m three years away from my bus pass.

Healthcare

• I was given no health check and my blood pressure wasn't taken - I could tell it was high because of what I was going through – I was transferred to the prison and something was done –the nurse was great

• We were cut up when he told us he had terminal cancer and only had a short time to live. We heard through the grapevine that the prison security would not allow him to go out….

Prison’s own assessments of their services for older people 1-5 1 – full participation 5 - little participation

Prisons own rating Number of prisons (out of 91)

1 6

2 25

3 37

4 19

5 4

What makes a difference?

• Action plans• Core day unlock• Groups and

socialisation• Staff lead

engaged (training and management support)

Current situation

• Awareness of need growing• Many pockets of good practice • Social care responsibility has

been clarified• End of life care improving • But no national strategy ……..

Prison Reform Trust contacts:

Freephone line for prisoners 0808 802 0060Freepost address : Prison Reform Trust FREEPOST ND 6125LondonEC1B 1PN

francesca.cooney@prisonreformtrust.org.uk Direct line: 0207 689 7727

Thank you for listening!