Hope I die before I get old ...(the Who):

This excellent article in today's Tennessean highlights the growing problems facing states due to aging inmate populations and the cost of caring for them.

With all the double-digit and life sentences being handed out since the 1990's as a result of harsher sentencing laws, the question had to arise: What do we do with these prisoners once they turn 70, are no longer violent, and need increased medical care:

Every year, more inmates need treatment for hypertension, arthritis, Alzheimer's and emphysema and require physical therapy and hospice care. Many old or feeble inmates also must be housed separately because they can become targets for younger, tougher prisoners. The 50-plus set is considered ''senior'' by prison standards because hard lifestyles before prison often cause inmates to age about 10 years faster, experts say.

Kudos to Tennessee, which is "looking to lead the nation in elder-care corrections."

Officials are tracking details of the 50-plus inmates and working on plans to handle physical disabilities, life skill issues, elderly support groups and hospice care....

Tennessee is one of 16 states with facilities for frail and aging inmates, and it was among the first to establish them. Many of the state's healthier senior inmates are at the Wayne County Boot Camp. The DeBerry Special Needs Facility oversees the sickest prisoners, many of them seniors. DeBerry has 800 beds to house prisoners whose medical problems range from amputation to dementia to cancer.

Court rulings recognize that inmates deserve all the health-care opportunities of anyone else in the community.