The impact of dementia in the prison setting: a commentary

Abstract

Older adults are the fastest growing demographic in the UK prison population; yet, there continues to be a lack of national strategy to ensure that consistent care is provided to this group, in line with the general population. The number of older adults with dementia is also rising globally; however, the prevalence of dementia in prisons remains unknown. The impact of dementia on older adults in prison is also largely unexplored. Subsequently, Brooke et al (2020) carried out a review to identify the prevalence of dementia in the UK prison population and explored how such prisoners are assessed, diagnosed, treated and supported. This article critically appraises and evaluates the systematic review by Brooke et al (2020) , and expands on the findings in context to practice.