Veterans' groups are urging the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to improve care quality at its nursing homes after a report revealed "blatant disregard for veteran safety" at a Massachusetts VA nursing home, USA Today reports.
The groups, which represent about 5 million members, argue veterans who risked their lives for the U.S. should not have to risk their lives in VA nursing homes.
At a VA nursing home in Brockton, Mass., investigators found two nurses sleeping during their shifts. A whistle-blower alleged nurses and aides did not empty the bedside urinals of frail veterans, failed to give clean water at night and did not regularly check on the veterans. The sleeping nurses no longer work at the facility, the VA said.
The story was the latest in a USA Today and Boston Globe investigation revealing care at many VA nursing facilities was worse than care at private nursing homes, based on the agency's own internal ratings, which were hidden from veterans for years.
"The stories being reported … at these facilities are nothing short of horrifying," said Rege Riley, national commander of American Veterans. He called on VA Secretary Robert Wilkie to "take swift and transparent action to fix this."
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