There has been some progress on making life better for seniors on the Island, but there is still a way to go before all the pledges made by the Government when it unveiled the Social Agenda are realised.

That is the verdict of Age Concern Bermuda which is keeping a checklist of the pledges for seniors made exactly a year ago.

The organisation?s report card currently shows a mixture of positive ticks and some black marks where there appears to have been little or no follow through on the bold vision put forward in October 2004.

Claudette Fleming, the executive director of Age Concern Bermuda, said there was a ?tick? for the pledge for new and improved wellness clinics for seniors as there are now such clinics in the east, west and central regions of the Island once a month. But the clinics are only operated by appointment from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Age Concern wants to see an expansion of locations and longer opening hours.

There was also a ?tick? for a promised health summit which took place in March and led to the formation of health committees with Age Concern involved, and the charity is now looking to secure long-term and acute care for seniors that is affordable and accessible.

However, there remains a question mark over whether there has been any movement on seniors? meetings and monthly educational workshops.

Ms Fleming said: ?We are not aware of any. We are aware of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs? monthly workshops for seniors.

?But whether that is something emanating from the Social Agenda we are not sure. We want the Government to rethink this. We are unaware of any seniors? health awareness forums.?

Running down the remainder of its checklist the charity is unaware of any research to identify ?best practice? in order to establish a national monitoring system to determine the level of service required to provide and maintain the quality standard of care in all seniors? care facilities.

If there has been some research Age Concern would like to see the results.

Likewise, the charity can find no evidence of the pledge by the Government to carry out home assessments for seniors who wish to live independently or with family members to see if their residence is suitably equipped and, if not, pass on information about resources that can be used to make the homes suitable.

?We are not aware of this new service and we would like to know how to access it and whether or not it has been used,? said Ms Fleming.

Looking to the future Age Concern wants to see a national monitoring and licensing system for all seniors? care facilities, including the certification of care workers.

It would also like to see a broadening of social assessments and hands-on assistance to older persons and their families, an increase in grants for information and education access by seniors, and health and wellness clinics being more accessible and held on a weekly basis in every region.

Age Concern wants to see serious consideration to the creation of a public health dispensary dedicated to providing medication to seniors at affordable rates.