The history of Bloomfield Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center reaches back to the 1860s. Initially functioning as the County Home & Asylum. It evolved into a facility we depended on for nursing home care. The announcement made on January 19th, 2022, has left us heartbroken.

In 1984, Wayne Watkins wrote a newsletter article on the history of the Iowa County Farm.
Iowa County Farm (April & July 1984 Newsletter)</a

The following article is reproduced with the permission of The Dodgeville Chronicle. The tribute to Everett Thomas’ years of service originally ran on January 14, 2010.
Thirty-eight years of dedication to Bloomfield Manor

On January 19, 2022, Iowa County residents were deeply saddened when the Iowa County Board made the following announcement:

PRESS RELEASE
Iowa County has started the process to close the Bloomfield Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center.
At the County Board meeting on Tuesday, January 18, 2022, the County Board of Supervisors voted 15-5 in favor of closing the facility.
The Supervisors debated the future of the facility during the discussion leading up to the vote. Although there were numerous reasons discussed to either close the facility or pursue other options, ultimately it was determined that closure of the facility was in the best interests of the County.
During the discussion, it was noted that for the past several years, the cost to operate the Bloomfield Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has greatly exceeded the revenues generated by the facility.
Also discussed was the recurring challenge that the County has faced with staffing Bloomfield. The County has had to rely on short-term staffing contracts with healthcare staffing agencies, and this costs significantly more money than hiring employees to work for the County. In 2021 alone, the County paid almost $850,000 to hire contracted staff to work at Bloomfield. The shortage of healthcare workers is not unique to Bloomfield, but rather this is a situation that is challenging many employers in the healthcare industry throughout the state and region.
Other discussion points included the condition of the facility and the potential need for costly repairs and maintenance.
Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic environment has further complicated just about all aspects of operating the facility for the past two years.
The County Board Chair, John Meyers, noted that this was not just about finances, staffing, or facility repairs but rather the combination of numerous factors and stressors that ultimately led the Board to arrive at this decision.
Chairman Meyers stated that, “I don’t think anyone wants to do this, but we are in a critical situation right now where it is in the best interest of the County to pursue this option. Our focus moving forward will be to responsibly close the facility and compassionately work with the residents, employees, and staff to ensure their needs are met. The State has strict guidelines and timelines for conducting this type of procedure, and we will make sure that all of the residents and all of the affected employees will be taken care of in the process.”
The County has known for some time that this situation might occur. Over the past several years, the County has hired consultants, advisors, and formed committees to determine how to move forward with the nursing home. Some of the previous options discussed included partnering with another entity to provide services, building a new facility in Dodgeville, or selling the facility to a private-owned nursing home management company. However, none of those options ever worked out, and they keep becoming more difficult to envision given the condition of the facility as well as the lack of staffing.
Iowa County residents have options available for high quality skilled nursing care within the County. The goal will be to place all of the current Bloomfield residents into these local facilities or other facilities within the immediate area. The State will assist Iowa County with this process, and Bloomfield will not be allowed to close until all of the residents are properly placed at alternate facilities.
The County is also considering options to compensate and incentivize affected Bloomfield employees to remain in their positions throughout the duration of the closure process. This will help ensure that all of the residents are cared for and properly placed, and it will also ensure that the affected Bloomfield employees can remain financially stable during their employment transition.
The County’s current situation with its facility is not without precedent. Every year, privately-owned skilled nursing facilities in the state close their operations for various reasons. However, the last County-owned facility to close in the state was the Lakeview Manor skilled nursing facility in Waupaca County which closed in 2017.
More information regarding the procedures in Wisconsin for closing a skilled nursing facility, to include the timeline, the various notices, and other information about the process can be found on the state website: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/relocation/index.htm.