Findings from a new state audit of the Holyoke and Chelsea state’s soldiers’ homes are sounding the alarm bell not just for those who live there, but also for the workforce who cares for the veterans.
More than 100 veterans died during the COVID-19 pandemic in these two facilities. The pain and grief from the loss of these individuals is tremendous, and the ripple effect of it all is significant, particularly for those still providing care.
When a facility is overwhelmed by crisis, the human cost spreads outward in concentric circles. Veterans suffer. Families are devastated. And, while it may not be as visible, staff absorb the moral and emotional burden of trying to care for residents in conditions that can become chaotic, frightening and impossible. Many healthcare workers carry those memories for years: the faces, the panic, the split-second decisions, the feeling of not being able to do enough and the quiet dread of returning for the next shift.
The state audit echoes what many in health care have experienced: various challenges and breakdowns that, in a crisis, do not stay contained. They accelerate, compound, and erode trust among staff, disconnect leadership from the floor, and make it harder for anyone to speak up or coordinate quickly. This leaves those providing care feeling defeated, exhausted and stressed. It’s one of the many reasons for the growing burnout rate among health care workers in the state.
Now, with more information about what happened, the next steps forward need to be proactive in order to better support not only Massachusetts veterans, but the staff that cares for them. We must treat workforce stability and support as a core safety strategy, not a wellness add-on. That means structural frameworks like adequate staffing, strong clinical infrastructure, clear chains of command, reliable training and modern documentation systems. But it also means building conditions where staff can communicate openly, process what they are carrying and raise concerns early before problems become crises.
Programs like MASStrong that provide structured peer support groups for healthcare workers can play a role in that broader safety ecosystem by giving staff a place to debrief, reduce isolation and rebuild trust and communication. These supports are not therapy, and they do not replace staffing, leadership competence or oversight. But they can help prevent the downstream collapse that follows when workers are left alone with what they have seen and done. It’s not too late to provide the necessary support to the committed healthcare staff at the soldiers’ homes who have continued to suffer from the tragedies and repercussions from the pandemic.
We owe veterans more than commemorations and settlements. We owe them institutions that are prepared, transparent and worthy of their service. And we owe the workforce more support after a catastrophe. They deserve the practical conditions and the human support that make safe care possible, on every shift, in every season and when the next emergency arrives.
Liz Friedman
Northampton
