Just a handful of years after disaster struck at the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home, Gov. Maura Healey was given a first-hand look into the upgrades made in care, staffing, and safety.
Healey met with the veterans, their families, and the staff who care for them everyday.
In the spring of 2020, the facility was considered an epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis. 84 veterans died that spring — sparking outrage and legal action.
Since, Healey said they’ve been hard at work investing and upgrading veteran infrastructure across the state, and at the western Massachusetts facility.
“What happened here in 2020 during covid was an absolutely travesty,” she said Wednesday. “There was a lot of loss.”
She claimed the facility now has received a perfect rating for Veterans Affairs.
In the shadows of the upgraded facility, construction continues on a brand-new facility that is part of a $458 million state investment for veteran care infrastructure.
They will welcome their first residents this fall.
“This first-class staff will have a world-class facility to work in,” Healey said. “Holyoke is one of the top-rated veteran’s homes in the entire United State of America.”
The governor’s office shared details outlining the site’s success amongst others across the country:
Registered Nurse Hours Per Patient Day
- Holyoke: 1.36
- National Average: 0.59
Hospitalizations Per 1,000 Days
- Holyoke: 0.99
- National Average: 1.82
Outpatient Emergency Room Visits Per 1,000 Days
- Holyoke: 0.93
- National Average: 1.7
The governor’s office added that the full project completion of the new building is, “expected by summer 2028, and will feature 234 long-term care beds, a specialized memory care unit, and a 40-person adult day health program designed to support both residents and veterans living throughout the surrounding community.”
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