Meeting the needs of older prisoners

Making the journey Julia Flack

AgeUK Peterborough and HMP Peterborough

How it started

• My working life in Probation

• Finding out about the Older People in Prison Forum at AGEUK

• How could AGEUK Peterborough support a local prison - a portfolio assigned to me

Preparation

• Continuing requests from HMP to provide a resettlement service for older people

• Caution from AgeUK P in terms of staff safety and risk• Caution about the use of charitable donations for

prisoners• AgeUK Trustee support readily forthcoming• Prison funding made available • Agreement for a Pilot achieved

Application –JDI!!

• Two prisons male and female System booked in ALL over 50 years old to see me !

• Seeing about 10 people each week on a one to one basis

• Follow up issues admin factored into process. Job takes longer than hours agreed.

Emerging issues

• Resettlement issues are discussed and referred, signposted, and sometimes arrangements set up with local AGEUK’s

• Unexpected :

• IN PRISON issues for older people have quickly become a significant part of the pilot

What is it like for an older person in prison?

• Do not like sharing a cell with a younger person

• Find the noise levels disturb sleep• Medication not always dispensed in a

timely way• Consultant/specialist appointments are not

always forthcoming • Occupational therapy walking aids are not

provided or available

More in prison issues

• How is my elderly relative at home when I cant care for him/her?

• Who will check for me?

• How can they get to the prison to see me?

• I feel so guilty that I have given them this upset at their age

Resettlement issues

• Homelessness - my house has been sold under profits of crime legislation.

• I am not allowed to return to the area where I committed the offences

• I have lost my job as a result of the offences and have no hope of getting another one at my age

• Which benefits am I entitled to claim?

And more………

• Will I get a healthcare report to take to my GP ?

• What will people think of me doing getting to 60+ and committing offences which result in a prison sentence?

• Why did I do it at my age?

Highlights

• I have been here for 21 years after fleeing from a violent man and have brought up 5 children now all university educated and in professional positions and I am here for 10 years and £10,000 to pay back in falsely paid benefits

• An illegal immigrant

Highlights 2

• My mother needs 24 hour care and is so demanding I am tired to the point of exhaustion all the time I do nothing else but look after her. She responds by shouting at me and telling me off all the time. I put a pillow over her face and then realised what I had done and rang the police . My mother is fit and well and I am here I have never had anything to do with courts ,prison or the Police

Highlights 3

• All I have ever done is take photos of my male partner which were found in my flat. I’m 78 the oldest prisoner in here and would not harm anyone yet no one will let me go back to my sheltered accommodation. AgeUK should help me .

And so…MY questions ….

• Where do I take the project ?• How do I manage the volume ?• What would add value to the lives of older inmates in

terms of safety, health and well being?• Which community facilities can I use to refer to for

resettlement issuesIN ADDITION OF COURSE TO

MAPPA,Probation and Approved premises and LICENCE conditions