The Gilbert Institute is to be converted into a seniors daycare facility this year, the Premier said yesterday.

David Burt said architectural work is being carried out to remodel the school, which is scheduled to close in June.

He made the announcement at Alaska Hall while he detailed the Progressive Labour Party’s record in support of seniors.

The Government announced last year that the school will close its doors as part of its education reform.

The Premier said plans are in train to ensure that works can be undertaken on the remodelling of the facility when the school shuts.

He said: “We look forward to having services that will be available either late this year or next year.

“It’s not going to be, of course, completely built; we’re talking about renovating and refitting the space.”

In the interim, Mr Burt said, the Ministry of Youth, Social Development and Seniors has been working with existing bodies to find more staff to manage the care facility.

Neville Tyrrell, the PLP candidate for Warwick South Central, said the facility will not only be a building but rather “a lifeline for our seniors and their families”.

He said: “It’s a space where our elders can engage — a place where they are not just cared for but celebrated.”

He said the facility will offer the island’s seniors an opportunity to participate in activities to stimulate the mind, support critical health and encourage social connections.

Mr Tyrrell said it would be a welcoming environment where seniors can share stories with one another and give families peace of mind.

On the party’s record in support of the island’s seniors, Mr Burt said: “The reality is the Progressive Labour Party has delivered for seniors, will continue to deliver for seniors.”

“We will continue to expand our support for our senior population so they can age well.”

Iesha Musson, the party’s candidate for Pembroke South West (Constituency 20), said the PLP government has raised seniors’ pensions annually since 2017.

She said the payments are a “foundation for financial security” and she noted that programmes such as the home care allowance for seniors provided critical support to the elderly.

Ms Musson added that a dementia care pilot programme, which assisted the uninsured and underinsured last year, provided critical support and resources that made a difference in the lives of seniors and their families.

She added: “Yes, we have more work to do, but let us take a moment to recognise the progress we’ve made and the path we’re on.

“Because when we work together, when we lead with compassion, purpose and determination, there is nothing we can’t achieve.”

Asked for an update on the implementation of the National Seniors Strategy, Mr Burt said work continues on rolling out the plan, which runs through 2030.

He said the seniors daycare facility, the expansion of healthcare coverage, including preventive care and specialist visits, are among the immediate priorities of the strategy.