In the News

HOLYOKE, Mass. —

A Massachusetts congressman is working with a coalition that is calling for more changes at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home following a massive COVID-19 outbreak at the veterans facility.

Rep. Richard Neal, who represents the state's 1st District, held a news conference on Saturday with members of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home Coalition, which is made up of former facility administrators, family members of current and former residents and fellow veterans.

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At least 76 of the residents of the home have died of the coronavirus and an independent investigation commissioned by the state found the leadership team made decisions that were “utterly baffling from an infection-control perspective."

Neal, whose uncle resides at the facility and survived COVID-19 amid the outbreak, has been vocal in his support of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home and discussed it during a Ways and Means Health Subcommittee hearing earlier this week in Washington.

“I am thankful to the families who joined me today and for their advocacy. I am also thankful to the nursing staff at the Home who continue to provide great care to the residents. But, we need regional equity," Neal said Saturday. "What is about to happen with the investments at Chelsea Soldiers’ Home also needs to be consistent with what is being proposed here, and while this is a state facility, I intend to offer whatever assistance I can from the federal level.”

On Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker announced a series of changes that will be coming to the Holyoke Soldiers' Home, which includes a commitment to hiring an "experienced health care leader" to take oversight of the facility. The job criteria for hiring the next permanent superintendent of the home will also include "a preference for hiring a licensed nursing home administrator."

Neal and the coalition, however, are calling for additional changes to the Holyoke Soldiers' Home. This includes major renovations to the facility that would bring it into full compliance with the standards of Veterans Affairs and Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards.

“As a representative of the Holyoke Soldiers’ Home Coalition, we are grateful for Congressman Neal’s support,” said Paul Barabani, former superintendent of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home. “During my tenure as Superintendent of the Home, I not only went to Congressman Neal for his influence in this one building, but for nursing homes and veterans’ homes throughout the nation. We do not want to understate his importance to veterans across our country.”

In addition, the coalition is calling for a private toilet and shower in each room, an adult day health care facility and input from the western Massachusetts community: elected officials, veterans, veterans organizations, families of current and former Holyoke Soldiers' Home residents and interested citizens.

“We appreciate Governor Baker’s proposed reforms but the family members are strongly urging the Governor to have an outreach effort to get feedback from family members and other veterans’ agencies. Having a new facility would be the best memorial to my dad and the other veterans who lost their lives," said Laurie Manderville-Boudette, whose father, James Manderville, died of COVID-19 after living at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home for 16 years.

Meanwhile, both of Massachusetts' senators and a congresswoman are calling for an independent investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak at the Chelsea Soldiers' Home, where 31 residents have died.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley submitted a letter Friday to Gov. Charlie Baker requesting the investigation.

According to The Associated Press, the state Executive Office of Health and Human Services, which oversees the facilities, said in a statement the Chelsea home “comprehensively prepared for and aggressively responded to COVID-19.”