The Fragmented Picture of Social Care for Older People in German Prisons

ABSTRACT

Older people in prisons are a vulnerable group with complex health and social care needs. German prisons have started to adapt to demographic changes and exemplary support services for older people are available in a few prisons, but a lack of age-specific support is widespread. National standards are needed to provide predictable conditions of imprisonment for older people. In order to achieve the goal of reintegrating older people into society on their release, more support is needed to help them age successfully. Expertise on aging should be used and fostered more widely. Palliative care services need to be developed.

Key points

• Exemplary social care services for older people exist in a few German prisons

• National support standards are needed to provide equal conditions of imprisonment

• Maintaining older prisoners’ life skills is key to their reintegration on release

• Services could be improved by using and fostering expertise on aging more effectively

• Palliative care services for older people need to be developed in German prisons

KEYWORDS:

• Older people
• Germany
• social care
• prison
• support services

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.