Incarcerated Persons and Dementia: Perspectives of Corrections Officers and Nurses on Health and Safety Needs

BACKGROUND: Growing numbers of incarcerated people with dementia present many challenges. AIM: To explore corrections officers' and correctional nurses' views and practices on management and safety of inmates with dementia. METHODS: Focus groups with 24 corrections officers and nurses were subject to thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Five overarching themes were identified: communication barriers, burden/role strain and emotional impact, care/safety management, cultural considerations and trust, and need for practical tools and support resources. DISCUSSION: Corrections officers and nurses share concerns about older inmates showing signs of cognitive dysfunction. Interestingly, each group knows about the other, although they seldom have contact, they share the same worries and focus on similar potential solutions. The fact that prisons are becoming nursing homes in disguise is not just a logistical concern but a reflection of the broader societal failure to provide alternatives to incarceration for aging and medically fragile individuals.