Inadequate resources and crippling overhead costs were identified as key problems facing Bermuda's rest homes in a report done three years ago.

But rest home administrators this week told The Royal Gazette the problems are only going to get worse.

When asked if Bermuda's rest home system as a whole is in trouble, Westmeath administrator James Davis said: “Unequivocally, yes”.

“Healthcare for seniors is expensive,” he said. “We can only charge so much, people can only afford so much. It is going to get worse. The cost of living is going to outstrip Government pensions.

“People in my age bracket are going to be a lot better prepared because of the Government pension plan. But people my father's age... All they have left is the Government pension. With $800 a month they can't afford it.

“The demand is going to outstrip the supply very quickly. Closer working between Government and private rest homes is the only way to go.”

A survey of Bermuda's rest homes was prepared by Age Concern in 2000 and released in 2002.

The report surveyed 20 of the 21 Government and private homes in operation at that time, and stated: “Indeed, perhaps the largest overall threat to the quality of local care, as indicated by this survey, was the lack of overall programmes and services available to meet the needs of residents...

“Interestingly, many of the operators surveyed reported that ‘expensive' operating costs and budget limitations prevent the implementation of programming and services not directly related to personal care.

“Perhaps, this resource limitation factor could explain why a significant number of respondents indicate that they do not offer rehabilitation, recreation, counselling, pharmaceutical, volunteer, financial and/or family participation services in their facility.

“Unfortunately, however, should the presumed lack of manpower and financial resources hold true, the programmes and services deficiencies will continue, despite the introduction of new regulations...

“Should reports of inadequate resources and crippling operating costs be found to be true, the aforementioned threats to the quality of local care will remain a tremendous challenge to the quality of Bermuda's long-term care system as a whole.”

“It's a Catch-22,” said Mr. Davis. “The only way to survive is by cutting costs, but that is hard to do.

“Staff costs are 85-90 percent of our overhead. I can't cut staff costs - I can't say they can't have the cost of living increase because I can't afford it. We are really stuck in a bad situation.

“At times it is impossible to find ways to save money.

“We are stretched as thin as we can be, people have given us as many concessions as they can. Like most of the other rest homes, we are not-for-profit, but we have to have some capital in order to make improvements.”

Mr. Davis said the problem was complicated by the fact that the market for elderly healthcare is changing. With more and more people staying home for longer, there is less of a need for independent care, and an increasing need for intermediate and nursing care.

“We need to ensure in planning that we are looking at the long-term. In the last 15 years, there have been a lot of band-aid approaches. Now they are starting to catch up with everyone.”

Already there are waiting lists for the hospital's Continuing Care Unit of more than a year. “There are waiting lists all over the place,” said Mr. Davis.

Government has stated St. George's, closed in 2000, will reopen in 2004 with four levels of care, while the Sandys Parish Rest Home will reopen as a facility to care for seniors while their families are away on holiday.