Emmet County, Michigan | December 2023 — Since 2006, Bay Bluffs Foundation has worked tirelessly to support capital needs, special projects and programs, and services not supported by traditional healthcare reimbursement and millage funding — all to enhance the quality of life for Bay Bluffs residents. This 501-3(C) non-profit is an important conduit for philanthropic activity, and donors may support the Foundation’s goals in a variety of ways.
“When Bay Bluffs – Emmet County Medical Center opened its doors in 1996, it had no operational millage, yet was committed to providing high quality skilled care for all Emmet County residents, regardless of ability to pay,” explains Bay Bluffs Administrator Lisa Ashley, MSW, LNHA.
“We have a lovely property here at Bay Bluffs, and we want to make it enjoyable for the residents and their visitors, but as anyone with a yard knows, upkeep is time consuming and can be expensive. This Foundation initiative will help us bring the plan to fruition.”
The To-do List: Landscaping Initiative Expands the Possibilities
In a plan to increase access, provide outdoor recreational activities, beautify the outdoor spaces, and maximize resident safety, Bay Bluffs exteriors is in need of significant work. The current Bay Bluffs Foundation fundraising focus will support the landscaping and site design needed to achieve these goals. “We have a lovely property here at Bay Bluffs,” adds Ashley, “and we want to make it enjoyable for the residents and their visitors, but as anyone with a yard knows, upkeep is time consuming and can be expensive.” She adds, “This Foundation initiative will help us bring the plan to fruition.”
Several outdoor spaces and an interior courtyard will benefit from an overall upgrade. Landscaping includes annual and perennial flowerbeds, ornamental shrubbery and small trees. New outdoor seating, plus patios and walkways, will all be incorporated with safety and accessibility at the forefront. And for those avid resident gardeners, raised beds with wheelchair accessibility will allow residents to grow flowers and vegetables. To bring the outdoors in, the existing indoor courtyard, visible from a number of residential rooms, will be updated with similar features.
Just What the Doctor Ordered: Vitamin D, Plus Much, Much More!
Humans of every age have a connection to the outdoors, and accessible outdoor spaces can be particularly beneficial to the elderly, especially those living with dementia or Alzheimer’s. But the positive outcomes relate to anyone who is unable to live independently, for any reason. Sensory stimulation, as found in the outdoors, offers a remedy for boredom, depression and anxiety.
Data compiled by the Chicago Botanic Garden indicates that measurable health outcomes from outdoor experiences benefit seniors in many ways, including increased social interaction, spiritual connectedness, overall feeling of happiness, the sense of purpose and accomplishment. Ashley says, “Our focus is always on the health, safety and happiness of our residents, and we know that improving and maintaining our outdoor environments will have a beneficial four-season impact on residents as well as a positive impact on employee satisfaction.”
The To-do List: Landscaping Initiative Expands the Possibilities
Every Bay Bluffs Foundation initiative enhances quality of care and supports the team in its dedication to residents, but those initiatives also deplete the coffers, and there is never an end to the need for financial support over and above our working budget. In other words, the Bay Bluffs operating margin is slim, and the Foundation pays for endeavors not covered through the facility capital millage and healthcare reimbursements.
Your contribution today gives the Bay Bluffs Foundation the latitude to begin soliciting bids and planning for the upcoming outdoor improvement campaign. We are thankful for any and all types of donations, including dollar contributions, memorial or tribute gifts, grants and endowments, donor-designated one-time gifts, and multi-year gifts.
Bay Bluffs – Emmet County Medical Care Facility is for you and your loved ones, whenever it is needed. Please help us in our latest quality improvement campaign.
To learn more or make a contribution now, please visit the Foundation website, or consider making your DONATION directly to the Bay Bluffs Foundation, ONLINE or by mail PO Box 693, Harbor Springs, MI 49740.