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Poised & Ready: BAY BLUFFS Fills End-of-life Need in Emmet County

Jan 26, 2024

“Like many in our community, I am so very saddened by the closing of Hiland Cottage hospice house. I was intimately involved in the creation of this hospice residence, so I know firsthand how incredible the community support was many years ago.”
Lisa Ashley, MSW, LNHA, Bay Bluffs Administrator

With the recent announcement that Hiland Cottage, the hospice residence owned and operated by McLaren, will close on March 1, 2024, Bay Bluffs–Emmet County Medical Care Facility in Harbor Springs is committed to meet the challenges and opportunities posed by this unfortunate news. Bay Bluffs has been providing end-of-life and palliative care to their nursing home residents, as needed, throughout the decades, and the system is in place for continued end-of-life services.

A Dedicated Staff, Tested and Proven under Critical Conditions

Bay Bluffs caregivers hold multiple certifications covering the breadth and depth of all facets of long-term care, including comfort care, symptom management and pain control. “Our staff members meet rigorous standards and are dedicated to the job of caring for residents,” says Sonya Bosley, Director of Nursing at Bay Bluffs. “Bay Bluffs employs the best—from certified nurse aids to registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.” And, Bay Bluffs has already attained an exemplary record of patient safety, staff retention and high levels of satisfaction from residents and their families.

For 2024, Bay Bluffs garnered national attention with its inclusion in US News & World Report’s and Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes of 2024. The facility is also listed among the top 10% of nursing homes nationally by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). “This recognition is an honor, but most importantly a validation of our strong team and proven care model,” says Lisa Ashley, MSW, LNHA, Bay Bluffs Administrator. (Significantly, during the COVID emergency, not only did Bay Bluffs maintain statistically low infection rates among residents, but it also retained staff at a time when the healthcare industry nationwide was losing, and failing to replace, staff at all levels.) Bay Bluffs’ highly effective care model has been in place for decades, and it has become an example for other medical care facilities to emulate.

End-of-Life Care: A Wealth of Professional Administrative Experience

Bay Bluffs is also uniquely positioned to fill the gap created by the untimely closing of Hiland Cottage. Administrator Lisa Ashley spent 15 years as the Executive Director of Hospice of Little Traverse Bay and 4 years as the President/ CEO of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Michigan before taking her current role as administrator of Bay Bluffs. Additionally, Director of Nursing Sonja Bosley, Medical Director Paul Blanchard, and Residential Neighborhood Coordinator Marie Spiewak all have background in hospice/palliative care. “I am fortunate to work alongside several of my former hospice colleagues here at Bay Bluffs,” Ashley shares, “and we are committed to offer end-of-life care, here, at Bay Bluffs, to those who cannot receive care in their own homes.”

A Brief History: Hospice Care as a Given

The United States was late to the hospice movement, considering that hospice care began in England in the 1950s. Still, by the early 1980s, hospice care, and a new way of looking at the end of life, was taking hold in the states. In Emmet County, a hospice plan was created in 1981, achieved 501-c3 designation in 1983, and admitted its first patient soon after.

After thousands of donations, in all forms, plus years of growth and momentum, the dream of Hiland Cottage became reality and admitted its first patients in 2008. (The Cottage was named after Hiland Hall, a generous and steadfast supporter of non-profits in Emmet County.) Says Ashley, “With the closing, it is important for the community to know that Bay Bluffs, in partnership with community hospice providers, will fill the void. Our team has created an environment in which families and their loved ones can feel safe and supported at this critical time.”

Medical Non-profits: The Healthcare Model

By definition, a nursing home provides long-term care for those with chronic illness and dementia who are unable to be cared for at home and for those who are unable to pay for private care. Most often when individuals move into a nursing home, they spend their last months or years there, being cared for until the end; others may need residential short-term rehabilitation. Bay Bluffs fits this definition, as a high-quality, widely respected nursing home for all, regardless of the ability to pay.

Bay Bluffs is the safety net for those unable to afford in-home care or assisted living, caring for primarily those eligible for Medicaid.
As a county medical care facility, owned by Emmet County, “Bay Bluffs is the only healthcare entity in our county that is driven by the community, for the community,” Ashley explains. “We truly represent the community we serve.”

We are Bay Bluffs: Here for You, Whenever You need Us

“We are nurses, nurse aides, cooks, resident assistants, laundry and housekeeping aides, activity aides, and support staff,” Ashley expresses. “At Bay Bluffs, we are neighbors, family members and friends, serving neighbors, family members and friends…and we will continue to support the community throughout this unfortunate situation.”

“Hiland Cottage meant so much to people, and those of us who had the pleasure to know Hiland Hall are inspired to carry on his legacy, regardless of the status of his namesake cottage,” Ashley adds. It is in his honor that Bay Bluffs’ interdisciplinary team will carry on in its “whole person” approach to care and its partnerships with local non-profit hospice organizations, providing dignified care for all who need it, today, and far into the future.


Bay Bluffs – Emmet County Medical Care Facility is a community-based, long-term care facility with over five decades of service to the region. Colleagues utilize “Positive Approach to Care” training and techniques for residents with dementia to live safely and happily. Bay Bluffs is also a highly-regarded choice for short-term rehabilitation. Located in Harbor Springs, one of the Midwest’s most favored destinations, Bay Bluffs is in the heart of this vibrant center of culture, art, and abundant natural beauty.


 

End-of-life RESOURCES