Prisons in the United States are facing an epidemic of Alzheimer's and other diseases across their ageing population.

Over a three-year period, the number of prisoners aged 65 and older grew 94 times the rate of the overall prison population, this means more than 26,000 elderly prisoners.

The situation created new challenges for the American prison system.

Al Jazeera's Scott Heidler reports from Beacon, New York.