By the year 2000, an estimated 125,000 inmates will be 50 or older, and 35,000 of them will be over 65. Corrections professionals must adopt proactive plans to provide for these elderly inmates, taking into consideration many elements of prison management, including safety, humanitarian concerns and money. A growing elderly prison population will be more costly to accommodate than a younger one because elderly inmates require more medical and mental health services in special settings. Accessibility and safety are the two most important considerations in planning and designing housing for an aging prison population. Activities for older inmates should involve crafts and activities in spaces apart from their sleeping quarters, physical therapy facilities, and medical care services specially designed for older persons. Daily maintenance and attention to the needs of the rapidly growing elderly inmate populations are the best options in the long run. Failure to address the needs of this population will create a more costly situation for taxpayers in the future.