This current study examined the status of the provision of custodial care for the elderly in Bermuda. Specifically, the research questions which were investigated were stated as fol-lows:
1. What are the requirements for custodial care for the elderly in Bermuda?
2. What are the characteristics of the custodial care provided for the elderly in Bermuda through (a) private organi-zational facilities and programs, and (b) public organizational facilities and programs?
3. How do public and private organizational facilities and programs in Bermuda compare within the context of success and failure in the provision of custodial care for the elderly?
4. What is the economic capacity of Bermuda to provide custodial care for the elderly, and what will be the probable economic impacts of providing such care?
The purpose of this current study was to develop meaning-ful and reliable data relative to the status of custodial care for the elderly in Bermuda. It is intended that the data so developed will provide a valid basis for the development of political initiatives in Bermuda to deal effectively and effi-ciently with the problem.
The data required for the performance of this current study were collected through both a review of published reports and studies, and the conduct interviews with both government and private sector officials involved in the delivery of custodial care for the elderly.
Custodial care is not required for all elderly persons in Bermuda. The absolute numbers of the elderly in Bermuda, as well as their proportion in the population, however, is growing annually. A significant custodial requirement is developing, but the growth in demand will likely level-off around the year 2000.
Access to the facilities is a function of both cost and available space. Publicly-supported facilities tend to be more accessible from the perspective of cost, while private facili-ties possess more unoccupied spac...