Holyoke Soldiers Home groundbreaking celebrates 'next level of care'
HOLYOKE - There was a groundbreaking ceremony in Holyoke Monday for a $482 million reconstruction of the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.
During the pandemic, more than 70 veterans died from COVID, prompting a closer look at the home. An Inspector General's report found Holyoke Soldiers' Home superintendent Bennett Walsh lacked leadership and temperament to run the facility. Walsh and former Medical Director Dr. David Clinton were indicted in 2020 for the decision to combine two dementia units, placing residents who were positive for COVID into a space with those without symptoms. The charges were later dismissed.
In 2022, Massachusetts reached a $56 million settlement in a class-action lawsuit filed in response to the deaths of veterans who contracted COVID-19 at the home.
"Our investment in the home symbolizes a next level of care and commitment to veterans and their families all across the state," said Governor Maura Healey.
The Holyoke Soldiers Home will be able to accommodate more than 200 residents for long-term care.