And plans are being laid to improve rest homes -- and to give older people the chance to live in their own home with outside support.

Acting Health and Social Services Minister Arthur Hodgson (PLP) told MPs: "With the current level of nursing care for seniors and an ageing population, there is a need for Government to set standards of care in our residential premises.'' But Shadow Health and Social Services Minister Kim Young (UBP) said the new Residential Care Homes and Nursing Homes Act did not go far enough -- and criticised the lack of accompanying regulations.

The MPs were speaking as the House backed the new set of regulations governing the running of nursing homes for the elderly.

Mr. Hodgson said Bermuda had more than 20 nursing homes, 13 of them private, which catered to a total of 446 people.

But he explained that the existing regulations do not cover things like insurance cover, residents' rights, staff qualifications and levels of care.

The new law makes it an offence to operate an unregistered home -- with a fine of up to $2,500 for a first offence.

Rest home owners who continue to offend after that could face up to six months in jail and a $250-a-day fine.

And special inspectors will be empowered to inspect homes for standards -- with the Chief Medical Officer having the option of pulling a registration if needed.

But Mrs. Young said: "The Minister said months ago that nursing homes are in a deplorable state and I had hoped for more.'' And she added: "Without regulations attached, this bill can sit around and we will get the regulations in ten days, ten months or ten years. If we had been Government we would have waited until the regulations were added.'' She called for full sets of regulations to be brought to the House for the start of the new session in November.

She added: "We need to debate these regulations like we were going to put our own parents in one of these homes.'' She said she had heard of one nursing home resident who had been left lying on the floor overnight because the night duty attendant claimed to have a bad back and told the woman she would have to wait for the morning shift to come on.

Ms Young said: "There's nothing in this bill which talks about quality of care for residents and that's what people want to hear.'' She was backed by Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt (UBP) who said the new law was "almost meaningless'' without the regulations themselves attached.

Opposition Whip Cole Simons (UBP) called for more financial assistance for those unable to pay steep fees demanded by residential homes.

He said: "This would cut social assistance costs because these seniors may supplement their income, go into a home, and basically be healthier than they were at home.'' Former Shadow Health Minister Renee Webb (PLP) said subsidies already existed and the Ministry was looking at further ways to cut the cost of residential home care.

Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon (UBP) added that elderly people often preferred a residential home to living alone.

Premier Jennifer Smith (PLP) said, however, many of the elderly wanted to stay in their own homes, but needed some help. She added that Health Minister Nelson Bascome (PLP) was looking at ways to help people to do that.