By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Photos: Small town says goodbye to its nursing home
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Share
The recent closure of the 33-bed Good Samaritan Center in Hoffman, Minn., leaves Grant County with just one nursing home, in nearby Barrett. The closure also means Hoffman has lost its largest employer, and local residents are still coming to terms with the repercussions. This photograph of the center in Hoffman was made on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013.
Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News
Residents of the small town of Hoffman in western Minnesota were stunned and dismayed this fall when the Good Samaritan Society announced it was closing the town's nursing home. The home was Hoffman's largest employer and it left its residents having to move away from the town many had lived for decades.
Hoffman has often been held up as an example of a small town finding ways to keep the community vibrant, and economic development director Muriel Krusemark is generally at the center of revitalization efforts. She called the nursing home closing a blow but vowed to carry on her mission.
Gallery
10 of 10
The recent closure of the 33-bed Good Samaritan Center in Hoffman, Minn., leaves Grant County with just one nursing home, in nearby Barrett. The closure also means Hoffman has lost its largest employer, and local residents are still coming to terms with the repercussions. This photograph of the center in Hoffman was made on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013.
Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News
1 of 10
Jeanne Gunderson, 87, was the first resident to leave the Good Samaritan Center in Hoffman, Minn., after plans to close the nursing home were announced unexpectedly in early October. Gunderson, like many others, moved to the privately owned Barrett Care Center in Barrett, Minn., which is located 7 miles away. "It's OK," said Gunderson. "I miss my friends."
Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News
2 of 10
Just three names remain listed in the resident directory at the Good Samaritan Center in Hoffman, Minn., on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2013. The nursing home's last resident left for another facility that morning. The center recently closed. "It was one of the best nursing homes around," said longtime nurse Jelene Backman. "We went five years without raises. People stayed because they loved it."
Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
