for people who are really sick, the hospital's head of geriatrics said yesterday.

Dr. George McPhee said the intermediate care unit was a temporary measure designed for those who did not require acute care but could not look after themselves at home.

"The Bermuda Hospitals Board believes that the needs of these patients can be better met in the future through enhancement of home care and rest home services,'' the hospital said in a news release.

Recently, 30 of the hospital's 200 patients were elderly people who belonged elsewhere, Dr. McPhee said.

"The health care of the geriatric population and the elderly population needs a lot more attention than has been given it, because of the fact that this segment of the population has increased very much in the last 20 years,'' he said.

The number of seniors has grown to about 5,600 from 3,300 -- "a massive increase, with not very much increase in facilities,'' he said.

Ms Sandra Allen, assistant director of nursing in the hospital's extended care unit, said the patients would take part in bus trips, concerts, and other activities not available to those in acute care beds.

Visiting hours for the unit are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The eight beds were among 12 beds on Perry Ward closed in January because of low occupancy levels.

Demand for beds has since picked up. The other four beds that were closed are now being used as a short-stay unit for surgical patients.

CARING FOR ELDERLY -- Staff involved with the hospital's new intermediate care unit include head of geriatrics Dr. G.B. McPhee, the unit's Ms Jenal Swan, Medical Social Worker Mrs. Janice Hollis, and assistant director of nursing for the extended care unit Ms Sandra Allen.