practical living
Many of Victoria’s ageing prisoners are in a handful of centres
such as Port Phillip Prison and the Hopkins Correctional Centre,
which has recently been refurbished specifically to cater for
prisoners needing aged care support.
A Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) spokesperson said while
prison can be challenging for older prisoners, ”every reasonable
effort is made to support them while in our custody”.
CRITICAL CHALLENGES
In most states, correctional facilities are aware of, or acting on,
providing facilities for ageing prisoners. But Dr Reutens questions
how justice health will not only identify, but also cater for, the
complexities of dementia.
“We need a societal discussion about it,” she says.
“It has to stem from what is the purpose of prison, and does
incarcerating cognitively impaired people fulfil the purpose of the
prison, which is to deter and rehabilitate? Can that be adequately
addressed by imprisonment in a culturally impaired population?
“It’s really hard in prison because everything is done for you.
“You don’t make your breakfast, you have no household chores;
all your activities for living are taken over, so it can be hard to identify.
Someone can slip under the radar until they are quite demented.”
When it comes to leaving prison at the end of a sentence, or
when parole is available, the options are limited if the person has
aged care needs.
“Where do you put a sex offender?” Goulding asks. “In a good
world, once you have done your time, everything is fine.”
Willis says: “In the case of older people, you are potentially
releasing people who have completed their sentence at quite an
advanced age and needing specialist care and specialist type of
accommodation, and in a lot of cases not having family and people
who can provide that kind of support for them.”
For those under 65, the choice is NDIS. For those over 65, it’s
My Aged Care. But the wait times can be up to two years.
“There can be a hiatus on release for some older prisoners, and
then they will probably end up with a GP or in a hospital and the
system will pick them up,” Willis says. Or homeless.
The QCS says on release it connects eligible prisoners to
the NDIS and aged care services. In Melbourne, Wintringham
has an accommodation facility. In Sydney, there is a new
HammondCare venue.
There is the opportunity for the issues around the health and
wellbeing of ageing prisoners, which currently seems to be bubbling
away under the surface of the community, to be addressed through
the aged care royal commission.
A spokesperson for the commission said it may accept
submissions on prison aged care and other services offered in
prisons, and how prisoners can transition from prison care to the
public aged care system. ■
This story first appeared on Seniors News.
Improve your infection control with PPE Organisers
Tidy up your PPE and improve your PPE
systems with the largest range of Australian
designed Organisers available. Designed in
conjunction with a clinical infection control
team the Sterri-Matt PPE Organisers meet
all infection control protocols.
No more messy trolleys or tables outside
rooms.
Our PPE Organisers are multi-functional
and provide options such as: Door Hang,
Wall Mount or Mobile Station. Universally
fits all PPE item packaging.
Many sizes available
Easy wipe clean
Door Hang, Wall Mount or Mobile
Less wastage
Better compliance from staff
Designed with hospital team
Becoming a standard in aged care
Perfect for outbreaks etc
This is no longer
acceptable for protecting
your residents and staff !
PrOUDLy
AUSTrALiAN
Mini &
Pandemic
versions
available
Now available
with Cutan
bracket option
Sterri-Matt Pty Ltd - T: 1300 132 908 E: [email protected]
agedcareinsite.com.au 21