Two top administrators at a veterans nursing home hit hard by the coronavirus were suspended indefinitely by Pennsylvania military leaders. The suspension comes as state officials investigate the nursing home’s operations following the deaths of about three dozen residents from the coronavirus.
The commandant and director of Southeastern Veterans’ Center, a 238-bed facility in Spring City, PA, were asked to turn in their badges Tuesday. Gov. Tom Wolf (D) announced a new acting commandant for the facility Wednesday but did not offer any further details.
Pennsylvania has six veterans nursing homes, and at least 37 resident deaths from the coronavirus have been tied to the Southeastern facility since April, according to local reports. The other five facilities have been able to keep the virus out or prevent it from spreading in their buildings.
State Sen. Katie Muth (D) called for the removal of the facility’s top administrators last week.
“It’s their inability to manage a staff to provide a high level of patient care,” Muth said. “They need to replace the management and anybody that doesn’t want to be there to provide care to these veterans. There are some people who have been bullied into enabling their behavior.”
