Introduction
Date: Monday, October 6th 2008 Lehill 50+ Forum inaugural AGM held on 5th July made front page news in "Forum to Forum". See the attached for copy of article:Date: Monday, October 6th 2008 ACOOP has gained special metion in an article in the Prison Service News with regard to considering older prisoners. Sue Sharples who works as Deputy Disability Liaison Officer at HMP Leyhill has been working with ACOOP and explains about LeyhilDate: Wednesday, September 24th 2008 The Seniors Forum at HMP Leyhill today (6th September) became the only group of prisoners to be consulted as part of the National Dementia Strategy Consultation. Professor Jane Gilliard of the National Dementia Strategy Working Group discussed the 5 year g |
ACOOP serves the South West of England, being an initiative developed by Age Concern Regional Support Services (South West), a charitable company comprising the 14 Age Concern organisations and 33 groups in the region and Age Concern England.
Age Concern identified the need for this work because:
- The numbers of older people entering the criminal justice system has trebled in the past twenty years
- It is estimated that approximately 10% of prisoners are aged over 50
- Despite being the fastest growing section of the prison population, there is little research, little data and information and little current provision available
- There are no specific national policies addressing the particular needs of this group
- Individual institutions and organisations often lack the resources and specialist knowledge to meet older people’s health and social care requirements