prison Britain mobility aids adaptations

The Frankland Prison in Co Durham has been investing in mobility equipment to meet the needs of an ageing prison population, including the installation of a stairlift and adapted showers and cells.

The Category A prison has received requests from elderly inmates for a number of mobility aids, including walking frames and chair risers, with the prison’s ageing population rising.

The increase in demand for mobility equipment from Frankland’s prison population reflects a growing ageing prison population across England and Wales, with 17 percent of Britain’s prisoners aged 50 or over and 54 percent of older prisoners estimated to have a disability.

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In the HM Inspectorate of Prisons and Care Quality Commission’s 2018 report, Social Care in Prisons: A Thematic Report, the study found that many prisons had either limited availability of, or no, accessible cells for some prisoners with mobility issues.

According to a report published on Frankland, over 280 of the prison’s 850 adult male convicts are over 50, with more than one third having a form of registered disability.

Responding to the needs of the ageing prison population, Frankland has created specially adapted cells and showers, alongside installing a stairlift to provide prisoners with mobility needs access to the jail’s library.

As reported in The Times, the report by the jail’s independent monitoring board said: “Smaller items such as walking frames, thermal underwear, wedge pillows and chair raisers are also provided on request.

“It is pleasing to note that a stairlift to enable prisoners with mobility issues to access library and education facilities has now been installed and is in use.”

Alongside the specialist equipment and adapted facilities, prisons are also having to offer bespoke activities for less mobile prisoners, with the report highlighting the establishment of a “quiet wing” for older inmates and the potential creation of a “grey forum.”

The 2018 ‘Ministry of Justice, Prison Population Projections 2018 to 2023’ study highlighted that people aged 50 and over are the fastest-growing age group in the prison population, with the proportion of older prisoners projected to grow from 13,616 in June 2018 to 14,100 by 2022 in England and Wales.

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https://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/prison-mobility-aids.jpghttps://thiis.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/prison-mobility-aids-150x150.jpgCalvin BarnettNewsroomReports & ResearchThird SectorAdapted Cell,Adapted Shower,Age UK,Category A,Frankland Prison,Grey Forum,Jail,library,prison,prison population,StairliftThe Frankland Prison in Co Durham has been investing in mobility equipment to meet the needs of an ageing prison population, including the installation of a stairlift and adapted showers and cells. The Category A prison has received requests from elderly inmates for a number of mobility aids, including walking...News, views & products for mobility, access and independent living professionals