Washington-based EmpRes Healthcare Management has committed to a lease on Rock Spring’s troubled nursing home.
The home’s former owner, Deseret Health Group, abruptly announced its closure and cut off its access to funds last week. Nursing Home Director of Nursing Karen Muto says they got the call that EmpRes was stepping in Tuesday afternoon.
"Right away we called the staff together as well as the residents to make the announcement," she said by phone. "You could not believe how happy everyone was. Everybody was crying, they were so happy."
The Wyoming Department of Health had taken over management of the nursing home but was planning to relocate its residents if a private buyer could not be found. Muto says state officials will have a presence in the facility until EmpRes takes over next week.
Governor Matt Mead said on Monday that the state is considering legal action against Deseret.