Coronavirus safety issues that plagued the Holyoke Soldiers' Home and led to the deaths of 76 veterans are still ongoing, according to a former top official at the home, who was fired shortly after reporting concerns to the inspector general.
Greater Boston Host Jim Braude asked former employee Eric Sheehan, who oversaw both the Holyoke and Chelsea Soldiers' Homes, if he has any reason to believe that the concerning conditions at the homes still exist.
"To answer your question, yes," Sheehan said. "I have a lot of former staff members and colleagues that trust me to this day and still reach out to tell me that things are still pretty bad at both homes."
The safety issues raised by Sheehan surrounded infection control measures and standard COVID guidelines that he says were not being followed at the homes. He flagged the concerns with the inspector general in 2021 and was fired a few days later.
Sheehan's colleague Beth Scheffler, who was acting chief nursing officer at the Chelsea Soldiers' Home, was also let go after reporting safety violations with the inspector general. The two have filed a whistleblower complaint with the attorney general.
Scheffler said she had previously never had issues at work. "My evaluations have been exceptional. I've never received a warning. I've never been put on a performance improvement plan," she said.
Gov. Charlie Baker, speaking on Boston Public Radio, said he was unaware of the situation until a report was published in the Boston Globe. "There is a process for fact-finding on these allegations which we will collaborate and cooperate with," he said.
The office of the inspector general did not respond to request for comment. The Executive Office of Health and Human Safety sent Baker's Boston Public Radio remarks when asked for comment.
Watch: Soldiers' Home whistleblowers share their experience
