Otis Johnson was 25-years old when he was imprisoned for the attempted murder of a police officer.

Last August, after serving his 44-year sentence, he emerged with greyed hair and little knowledge of the changes in society he missed out on.

Al Jazeera spent some time with Johnson as he continues to adapt to life outside prison. Everything from the cost of a payphone call, the ubiquity of smartphones and the variety of foods on offer in supermarkets takes getting used to.

Upon his release, Johnson was given an ID, personal documents, two bus tickets and $40. While imprisoned, he had lost contact with his family and friends, and is now reliant on Fortune Society, a charity that provides assistance for ex-prisoners in Harlem.

Younger prisoners can hope for a better deal. Barack Obama has made re-entry programmes a focus of his final year as president.

"It’s not too late," Obama told a crowd at Rutgers University this year. "There are people who have gone through tough times, they’ve made mistakes, but with a little bit of help, they can get on the right path."

This has unfortunately arrived too late for America's aging prison population, which has gown considerably in the last 15 years. Institutionalised for decades, many are isolated and unaccustomed to daily life after release.

The case of Otis Johnson highlights a need for programmes tailored specifically to the needs of long-term prisoners as they prepare to re-enter society.

Johnson himself has found peace, at least. 

"I don't feel that society owes me anything," he says. "Everything happens for a reason, I believe... I try not to go backwards; I try to go forward. That's how I survive in society."