Aging Prisoners: Challenges and Healthcare in Correctional Facilities

As many are incarcerated in the earlier years, the prison population is getting older, weaker and sicker. Many of the said prisoners are penalized for petty vice crimes or mere involvement of the sort and were given a heavy sentence to bear. Now jail facilities are faced with the growing and aging population and how to control the number. Realistically with the number of jail time given to the people involved, they will die before finishing the sentence given to them. But with the rise of the elderly in prisons how do they cope? Faced with medical conditions, sharply diminished social contact and less involvement in prison activities how do they still manage to fight to survive. We take a peek of the heartbreaking struggle.
"They keep us alive"
Elderly prisoners who suffer terminal, life-changing conditions are kept alive by the prison. They get treatments for free that would prove too costly compared when they are free. But it's a separate discussion if they do it because the facilities want to or because they have to. The said prisoners received medical care and attention like if where in a hospital. The equipments are complete and there are staff willing to guide them through treatment. But the only difference is that they can't get too close and personal with their caregivers. Its still a prison and certain boundaries must be observed even if its ok with both parties to get to know each other more. Another thing observed is that even though the caregivers in the prison are willing to assists not everyone is willing to work in a prison. There is a preconceived notion of what happens in prison as exemplified by media but instead of giving a clear message it just blurs the truth and true nature of what's happening.
"There are still people who care"
Social media has been a great tool of lightening the load of prisoners but in a different way, before in newspapers they advertise pen pals who are staying in prison in hopes someone heed their call for company, and as the tool works social media has been doing this as well but with prison jail calls. Of course not many people are keen to the idea of being pen pals because of its limitations but with calls its great because you get to hear the voice. It's amazing that people care and still take time to call these elderly prisoners who but not to generalize have been forgotten their loved ones and treated prison as elderly homes. Even with the rise of prison calling there are still companies like Prisoners Call Solutions and IC Solutions Discount Inmate Calling is being offered.