SAN ANTONIO: With a growing population of elderly inmates, the Prison Service is looking to prototype the first age-friendly prison cells that are retrofitted with anti-slip floors, grab bars and hand rails.
The toilet areas in existing cells will be a focus of proposed enhancements.
New water closets with huge push buttons and stainless steel grab-bars will be installed while existing shower roses will be fitted with self-closing taps with large buttons. Grab bars and hand rails will also be mounted with tamper-resistant accessories.
The overall toilet area will also be enlarged, with sufficient space for portable commodes.
All nuts, screws and removable parts must be concealed within the cell walls, and corners and edges of the installations must be rounded.
Lawyers have lauded the proposal as being consistent with elderly-friendly policies for the community-at-large…