Shadow health minister Kim Wilson has reiterated the need for laws requiring family members to care for their elderly relatives at home.

Ms Wilson was speaking in light of the Bermuda Hospitals Board’s announcement on Thursday that the emergency department and new acute care wing at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital are completely full.

On March 13, Ms Wilson spoke in the House of Assembly on the need for filial laws due to an ageing population and lack of adequate nursing homes putting a strain on hospital beds.

Speaking to The Royal Gazette, she said such laws “would require family members who are capable of caring for their elderly relatives to take responsibility in doing so.”

Ms Wilson added: “We must examine all options to provide a long-term solution to this ongoing issue.”

The Progressive Labour Party’s “People’s Budget” Ms Wilson said, would make it more of an attractive option to operate care facilities on the island. She said: “The PLP believes that Government has the responsibility to ensure that its senior population are cared for. The PLP’s People’s Budget would develop incentives for persons willing to operate safe and secure facilities for our ageing population and to spur the private sector to construct residential communities, providing seniors with greater options and alleviating stress on families and the hospital.”

Educating the public is also a priority according to Ms Wilson, who added: “The community needs to be better educated about the purpose of the hospital and its intended scope. KEMH offers patient services that can only be provided locally by them. That is where their focus must be.

“One of the major reasons for the bed shortage we now see is because the hospital is being used to provide services which the community is better suited for; the provision of community resident homes for the elderly.

“Many of the current beds occupied at the hospital are being held by persons who are able to live mostly independently or with some minor assistance which does not require around the clock skilled nursing care as is available at KEMH.

“The vast majority of these such patients should be cared for at home by their families or in a facility designed for that purpose, depending on the level of supervision required.”