The new seniors? rest home at St. George?s will be ?substantially completed? by the end of this month.

Housing Minister David Burch gave an update on the overdue $25 million project yesterday ? and said the state-of-the art facility would ?set the standard for seniors care in this country?.

More than 50 mostly full-time jobs including nurses and administrative staff will be created once the rest home opens its doors to 43 seniors. Job adverts have been placed and interviews have already started to recruit workers.

Health Permanent Secretary Kevin Monkman said the cost of living in the centre had not been finalised, although residents could apply for financial help towards care bills if needed.

Sen. Burch said the East End project was about ten months behind schedule due to ?unforeseen conditions both in the ground and in the historic buildings?.

Some design issues took longer than expected to resolve, he added, although he said that a recent arson attack caused no delays. A damage bill of about $20,000 would be met by the contractor?s insurers, he told reporters.

Photographs of work carried out in the rest home were published yesterday and Sen. Burch said the Ministry of Health and Family Services was ?well advanced? in fitting out the facility.

He continued: ?The completion of the St. George?s Residential Care Facility represents more than just another Government project; it represents a significant step forward in this Government?s unwavering commitment to seniors.

?The facility will set the standard for seniors care in this country and we are extremely proud that finally, Bermuda will have a state of the art facility worthy of housing our seniors.?

He revealed that Ministry staff carried out the architectural and structural design of the centre, which will employ 57 staff.

?This is the largest project that the division has ever designed in-house, resulting in significant cost savings associated with the project.?

Details of care services to be provided at the new home, covering 48,000 square feet, were outlined yesterday.

It will house 43 seniors whose needs range from independent living through to skilled nursing care.

Ten residents will be housed in a special Alzheimer?s unit; there are three independent living apartments. The rest will live in studio units consisting of a small kitchenette and bathroom. Four of those are double studios.

The rest home will have a hairdressing salon, chapel, library, activity room, clinic and laundry. There will also be a healing garden for Alzheimer?s residents.

Residents will be chosen from public and private rest homes as well as seniors not currently in care, and health officials will consult with the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the National Officer for Seniors on suitable placements.

The old St. George?s rest home was recommended for closure in 2000 by the Chief Fire Officer who said there were serious safety problems with the building.

Several other Government rest homes were closed on similar grounds, and after a Island-wide study into future needs of seniors, work on a new East End rest home started. Similar facilities in the west and central parishes are in the pipeline.