The aging population in prison also presents a significant financial crisis. Older adults utilize the prison healthcare system more frequently than younger inmates costing taxpayers three times more than their younger counterparts. To quantify this number Pew Trusts reported that in Virginia alone, in 2013, of the 58 million dollars spent on prison health care nearly half of that was spent on older prisoners (Ollove, 2016).
Long Term Issues
The long-term concerns of the aging prison population are both ethical and financial. The paradox is that although more money is spent on caring for the aging prisoner, the quality of care and health status of inmates remains poor. As the statistics show, currently the prison system is struggling with the …show more content…
Transfer to long term care facilities is discussed as a way to cut costs and provide adequate care for elderly prisoners paroling to the community. Given they would no longer be state prisoners they are likely eligible for Medicaid and being in the long-term care environment they would receive care tailored to their disease (Loeb, 2013). Another option is to provide facilities geared towards aging inmates. Pennsylvania has taken this initiative utilizing State Correctional Institute (SCI) Laurel Highlands solely for aging inmates. This assists in reducing spending by targeting services to one location. As of 2009, compassionate release programs have been allowed in 15 states. Inmates who meet strict criteria, are terminally ill could be released to hospice on extended supervision. Although these policies are in place they are rarely used despite the effects it would have on healthcare spending. Washington state reported that they could have released between 44-55 inmates with their compassionate release program which would have offered a 1.5 million decrease in healthcare spending. Interestingly, out of the six states who enforce life without parole sentences, only one, Louisiana, participates in the compassionate release program (Chiu, …show more content…
Areas such as providing compassionate and equitable care, as well as addressing pain control should be revisited. Loeb et. al. (2014) quoted one inmate as stating “They got nurses with a little bit of guard in them, they need guards with a little bit of nurse in them” (p. 5). Guards have the most contact with the prisoners within the facility, therefore educating them on care of the aging prisoner is essential. Reinforcing education on pain control is also important for prison health care workers. One inmate stated that while he wasn’t afraid to die, he was afraid that he would suffer given there seems to be restraint in properly medicating for pain within the facilities (Loeb et. al.,
Long Term Issues
The long-term concerns of the aging prison population are both ethical and financial. The paradox is that although more money is spent on caring for the aging prisoner, the quality of care and health status of inmates remains poor. As the statistics show, currently the prison system is struggling with the …show more content…
Transfer to long term care facilities is discussed as a way to cut costs and provide adequate care for elderly prisoners paroling to the community. Given they would no longer be state prisoners they are likely eligible for Medicaid and being in the long-term care environment they would receive care tailored to their disease (Loeb, 2013). Another option is to provide facilities geared towards aging inmates. Pennsylvania has taken this initiative utilizing State Correctional Institute (SCI) Laurel Highlands solely for aging inmates. This assists in reducing spending by targeting services to one location. As of 2009, compassionate release programs have been allowed in 15 states. Inmates who meet strict criteria, are terminally ill could be released to hospice on extended supervision. Although these policies are in place they are rarely used despite the effects it would have on healthcare spending. Washington state reported that they could have released between 44-55 inmates with their compassionate release program which would have offered a 1.5 million decrease in healthcare spending. Interestingly, out of the six states who enforce life without parole sentences, only one, Louisiana, participates in the compassionate release program (Chiu, …show more content…
Areas such as providing compassionate and equitable care, as well as addressing pain control should be revisited. Loeb et. al. (2014) quoted one inmate as stating “They got nurses with a little bit of guard in them, they need guards with a little bit of nurse in them” (p. 5). Guards have the most contact with the prisoners within the facility, therefore educating them on care of the aging prisoner is essential. Reinforcing education on pain control is also important for prison health care workers. One inmate stated that while he wasn’t afraid to die, he was afraid that he would suffer given there seems to be restraint in properly medicating for pain within the facilities (Loeb et. al.,