An advocate for the Island's elderly says a lack of money is the main reason behind `deplorable' conditions at rest homes.

Age Concern executive director Claudette Fleming said her organisation has received complaints in recent weeks about poor conditions at several seniors homes. "This is not new," she told The Royal Gazette.

"The funds are not available to provide high quality care. Yes, the people who work in these facilities are very dedicated and well meaning - but they are working on a scarce budget.

"The bigger problem is that senior care is not a major issue of this Government - or of any other Government in the past."

The condition of elderly residents at a Warwick rest home moved one visitor to drop off an anonymous letter to The Royal Gazette on Tuesday asking what is being done to rectify "deplorable" conditions there.

The letter writer alleges that residents at the facility are being left to fester in their own urine and are not receiving a proper regime of exercise and daily activity.

It read: "On one of my visits to the home one lady asked me if I could take her to the bathroom because there was no one to take her. She had been calling and no one would help her. There was one elderly lady who is now in the hospital with a sore toe that is black - and it is possible that she could lose her leg..."

The writer - who claims that staff are required to cook, clean and do the laundry - wondered where was the time to properly take care of the residents.

"How can the staff do all these tasks then attend to the elderly in the same greasy, smelly uniform?," the writer asked. "Family members have spoken to officialsfrequently about conditions at the facility, but nothing has been done," the writer said. "The (home) needs help; Nelson Bascome - what are you doing?"

Health Minister Nelson Bascome said of the complaints: "That's one of our better homes. We haven't received any complaints to the Ministry. I usually visit the homes twice a year - but we will look into it."

Ms Fleming said that she believed there should be recruitment of "skilled people" to the higher levels of Government who are charged with overseeing senior health care.

She said Government can help solve the problems at rest homes by being more proactive in dealing with seniors' health care concerns.

"Seniors in care are different," she said. "People going into homes are people who are not well and who don't have the finances. It would help to have people who had a perspective and training on how to run these facilities - especially at a Government level."

Ms Fleming added that she is holding a forum at the end of the month designed to address some of the challenges in senior health care, especially in light of conditions at Island rest homes.

"It's a forum to speak about what the rest home operators and seniors really need," she said. "To say it's the fault of the rest homes is a scapegoat."