Tonight we take a look at some allegations of poor care at the State Veterans Home at King, the largest Veterans home in the state. Earlier this week the Capital Times reported our veteran's aren't getting the care they deserve. NBC26 spoke with state leaders on both sides of the aisle about those charges and what’s in the works to examine the allegations.
It was three years ago when State Senator Julie Lassa started hearing about concerns from family and friends of people within the Veterans Home at King.
"Left to sit in her own waste for 3 hours," says State Senator Lassa describing one of many complaints she received.
The problems she describes were told to her by staff as well about unsanitary conditions and a crew of employees that couldn’t keep up.
"I've been receiving a number of complaints. Not only the shortage of staffing but also of the quality of care," Lassa adds.
About a year and a half ago she says she brought her concerns to Governor Walker and Audit Committee Chairman Senator Robert Cowles.
"There's concern at King on staffing, concerns with the department," acknowledges Senator Cowles today.
But back then, the two sides saw the issue very differently.
"There's federal analysis that shows that they're doing very well," says Senator Cowles referring to their great rating at their last examination.
But Senator Lassa remembers a over a year back when she gave the complaints directly to Governor Walker and Senator Cowles and no action was taken. She says her comments and allegations that she heard from over a dozen people at King were referred to as “untrue and harmful” by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
"We were verbally told that the Audit Bureau had other priorities and they weren't able to do the audit of King," says Senator Lassa.
Today though, both sides want to make sure the veterans get the care they deserve.
"We'll be pursuing an audit of the King home and making sure that the veterans that are there and their families are treated excellent. We want to make sure that there is no shortage of health care," says Senator Cowles.
In the meantime Senator Lassa is requesting the Federal government conduct their own investigation and now both parties are working to fix the problem.
