NO ONE DESERVES TO DIE ALONE.
Smart, Compassionate Prison Hospice and Aging Solutions.
We can no longer turn a blind eye to the increasingly challenging issues of an aging prison population, as well as the general aging population in the United States. We cannot let the fact that many find it uncomfortable to talk about aging and continue to deprive others of peace and dignity while also dramatically increasing the financial and economic impact.
Dr. Kori Novak
PRISON HOSPICE AND AGING EXPERT,
KEYNOTE SPEAKER, AND ADVOCATE
As a renown researcher, published author, and noted expert, Dr. Kori Novak is helping change the narrative around prison hospice and aging. Her deeply held passion for topics others would prefer to ignore — in part fueled by her own deeply personal experience — is driving both conversation and action to ensure that no one dies alone.
Prison Hospice
A HUMANITARIAN AND FISCAL CRISIS
More people are dying of old age in prison than ever before. American prisons are holding a swelling population of elderly inmates. According to Bureau of Justice figures from 2017, nearly 200,000 people aged 55 and older are incarcerated in America. Today, 12% of the 1.5million adults in state and federal prisons are in the 55+ demographic — a 300% increase since 1999 — and the problem is getting worse. By 2030, the number of elderly prisoners is expected to reach 400,000.
Aging in America
A CRISIS IN CARING AND COMPASSION
Today, there are more than 46 million older adults age 65 and older living in the U.S.; by 2050, that number is expected to grow to almost 90 million. Between 2020 and 2030 alone, the time the last of the baby boom cohorts reach age 65, the number of older adults is projected to increase by almost 18 million. The current growth of the population ages 65 and older is unprecedented in U.S. history and the emotional and fiscal impact is depriving many of dignity and peace.
400K
Elderly Prisoners by 2030
$16B
Annual Cost of Incarcerating those 55+
$0
The Cost of Compassion
What is "SMART" Prison Hospice?
S.
Start with
Compassion
M.
Make
Fiscal Sense
A.
Advocate
for Change
R.
Restore
Dignity
T.
Teach Others
to Help Others
Experienced. Empathic. Engaging.
As a seasoned and creative leader with a broad range of experience in elder care, hospice services, and healthcare strategy, Dr. Novak has been a guest eldercare and prison expert on various NPR and radio programs as well as on Dr. Oz and other television programs. She is an internationally sought after expert, lecturing in places such as Oxford University, University of Suffolk, the University of Budapest, Lisbon University, the University of Vienna and the University of Cardiff in Wales. In addition, she is often asked to speak at various international health care and correctional conferences in Asia, Australia and Central Europe. She also focuses much of her research on the continuum of trauma into old age and the utilization of narrative medicine with undeserved populations.
Her specialty speaking and presentation topics include:
- the manifestation of trauma in aging individuals,
- aging in the prison system,
- prison hospice and degenerative neurocognitive disease in aging inmates.
“If I had to pick a favorite [presentation], it would be session 141 on Age-Specific Disease Management: Training your Security and Administrative Staff. Ms Novak really brought life to this topic. She was so engaging! It was obvious this is her passion. She made it everyone’s passion. Working in corrections is hard because many times building trust between a patient and a caregiver is hindered by the situation. For me, this session brought back to mind providing holistic patient care, which is the reason I became a nurse in the first place.”
Attendee, National Commission on Correctional Health Care Spring Conference
"I'm moved by the idea that I can help people who the rest of society has forgotten. People don’t like to talk about dying, much less dying with the stigma of “inmate”. I have watched my father and mother pass away in hospice. I have seen how hospice touches the untouchable... because there is an end for everyone. If I can make that end more peaceful and provide grace and dignity without judgement, then my life will also be worth something."
~ Dr. Kori Novak