An "unsung" army of family caregivers looking after Bermuda's elderly citizens needs much more support, a charity director has declared.

Katherine Carr, programme director of the Aerie Foundation's seniors' programme, told Hamilton Rotary Club that many people on the Island were juggling caring for older family members with countless other responsibilities.

"These family caregivers often have children and jobs that also require their time and energy, yet so many people in Bermuda make tremendous sacrifices — physical, emotional, financial — to take care of their family members," she said.

"These people are the unsung heroes in Bermuda. I've met many of them and these are the people who hold it all together and care for their family member at home, often with little outside support."

Ms Carr told those gathered at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club in Paget that a "significant gap" existed in respite services for family caregivers in Bermuda.

The Aerie Foundation was set up three years ago and launched its seniors' programme in part to address the problem.

The programme offers caregivers respite at a cost of $25-an-hour for personal care and $18-an-hour for companionship between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. every day.

"In other developed countries, there are many organisations to support caregivers and their message is almost always: 'look after yourself so that you can look after your loved one'.

"In essence, by providing respite care, Aerie is trying to support them in their long-term role as family caregiver."

Aerie is planning to launch classes for family caregivers in the autumn where they can learn skills to help them manage their responsibilities. The foundation is also planning to open a day activity centre for seniors in 2009.

Ms Carr said the issue of caring for seniors was particularly topical in the wake of The Royal Gazette's recent stories on Auntie Em, the 95-year-old great grandmother allegedly mentally abused and physically neglected by her adopted daughter.

Ms Carr said most seniors wished to live in their own homes for as long as possible — and that mechanisms needed to be put in place to allow them to do that.

"We see that even in the case of Auntie Em, which I am sure you have all heard about, even when her home life was most unpleasant, she still wanted to and continues to want to stay in her own home."

Ms Carr later added: "We've all read about Auntie Em and we know we want to do more for seniors. So let's do it.

"The Aerie Foundation does not propose to have the magic formula to address all the needs of a growing, ageing population; rather we see ourselves as an example of the kind of out-of-the-box initiative that needs to come from all sectors."

To contact the Aerie Foundation call 296-5054 or 504-5944, email kcarr@aeriefoundation.org or visit www.aeriefoundation.org.