Hospital watchdog Bermuda Health Advocacy Group has applauded moves by Government to shut down an ageing hospital wing which provides long-term care to elderly patients.Health Minister Patricia Gordon Pamplin announced the move last week, claiming that the Continuing Care Unit at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital was "no longer fit for purpose". Government is now looking at alternative facilities to care for some 150 mainly elderly patients, many of who are suffering from deteriorating mental capabilities.In a statement, BHAG said news of the closure should come "as no surprise" and that "it was only just a matter of time before a hard decision had to be made concerning how to move forward with CCU's mode of operations".Healthcare in Bermuda is transitioning at an alarming rate and unfortunately the focus objectives are far removed from concerns in relations to the elderly," the statement said. "The continuous accusations surrounding the questionable and sometimes inappropriate level of care for our elderly on that unit was much to be desired furthermore, the staffing issues was always a point of contention and controversy."The Bermuda Hospitals Board, for whatever reason, always seemed to avoid real dialogue when it comes to the concerns and issues plaguing the infrastructure and level of care associated with their seniors. It is no secret that families for many years have complained about the substandard care given to their love ones to the point some of the seniors’ children become part-time caregivers to their parents as a result of visiting the unit everyday. The truth be told there is plenty of blame to go around as a result of the disrepair and neglect of the CCU."BHB along with the previous government should have taken measures and planned initiatives to task with a strategy that was proactive and comprehensive over a reasonable duration considering the direction it was heading. The remised foresight and lack of attention given to the seniors at CCU is overwhelming evidence to suggest ill-equipped and inexperienced administration who lacked knowledge and ability capable of such an undertaking."Bermuda should be embarrassed and ashamed of what has been allowed to transpire with our seniors. The dignity and legacies of those who helped to pave a better and bright Bermuda, who no longer have the mental capacity or strength to fend for themselves, have become a wasted commodity to its people. The Bermuda Healthcare Advocacy Group could only hope that any endeavour to move forward with our greatest prize and possession would be done with as much dignity and compassion available.”