Pleasant Lake Lodge North

Pros

• The facility is a very nice place.
• The manager is caring and forthcoming with information about residents.
• The manager seemed happy while she was there.
• The facility offers a friendly, loving environment and an owner and staff you can count on.
• The reviewer would definitely recommend the facility based on what they saw and heard.
• The staff is appreciated for all they do.

Cons

• The reviewer says the number of state investigations found valid is unbelievable and questions how the facility is still open.
• The reviewer notes smells in the homes are not kept out, implying improper cleaning of residents.
• The reviewer describes the staff as very restraining and says there are only two bathrooms, which is unacceptable.
• The reviewer questions why their guardian sent them to this facility.
• The reviewer reports goat fecal contamination at the entrance, calling entering a nightmare and expressing concern for the residents.
• The reviewer states that the aide Erica was very rude.
• The reviewer says the home bath aide had no compassion for the patient and that the cleanliness and atmosphere are unacceptable.

Review

Across a chorus of impressions from residents, families, and observers, a Michigan care facility appears in a light that is hard to reconcile. Some voices paint a picture of warmth, attentiveness, and genuine care from management and staff, while others grapple with troubling reports about cleanliness, safety, and the day-to-day reality inside the home. Taken together, the comments reveal an institution that elicits strong emotions on both ends of the spectrum, with experiences that range from uplifting to alarming.

One thread running through the notes is a sense that state oversight has flagged this facility in some way. A reviewer opens with the assertion that "the amount of reports filed with the State of Michigan that have been investigated and found to be valid is unbelievable. How is this place even open?" That line frames the rest of the observations in a charged context, suggesting ongoing concerns about compliance and quality of care that someone viewing the place through this lens feels are not adequately addressed. It's a cautionary note that invites potential residents and their families to look closely at what is happening behind the scenes, beyond a first impression.

Cleanliness and odor emerge as persistent, emotionally charged topics. One reviewer bluntly states, "If you can't keep the smell out of the homes your not cleaning the resident's correctly." The claim goes beyond a mere nuisance and touches on basic sanitary standards and the daily lived experience of residents. Other accounts echo that theme with similarly strong language, describing environments where odors and cleanliness are in question. Together, these remarks create a sense of urgency about whether basic hygienic expectations are being met.

The reviews also spotlight concerns about staffing, facility layout, and resident safety. A particularly pointed remark describes the staff as "Very restraining," followed by the observation that there are "only two bathrooms," which the writer calls unacceptable, and questions why their guardian sent them to this location. That combination - perceived over-control by staff and a limited number of bathrooms - reads as a critique of both care practices and infrastructure, raising questions about staffing ratios, resident autonomy, and the adequacy of facilities to handle daily needs and emergencies.

Yet the narrative is not uniformly negative. A portion of the feedback offers genuine warmth and praise. One reviewer simply calls the place "Very nice," while another highlights the manager as a caring and forthcoming presence when discussing a friend under their oversight. Even though this reviewer notes the manager had been in place only briefly and access to the resident was restricted during the pandemic, there is a clear sense of appreciation for leadership and the impression that, in the right circumstances, the staff could be trusted to provide thoughtful, compassionate care. The sentiment is that, despite restrictions and absences, there is still a foundation of kindness and professionalism that could shine through with stable administration and open access.

There are also intensely negative episodes recounted that center on direct interactions with staff. One reviewer laments that, in moments of admission and care, "the goat fecal" (a vividly distressing detail) blocked entrance, described as "a nightmare" to navigate. They also accuse an aide named Erica of rudeness and recount a bathing aide with "no compassion for the patient." Another note, coming from someone who has own experience running an AFC home, labels the overall cleanliness and atmosphere as "unacceptable." Taken together, these points underscore a fear that residents may not be treated with the dignity and empathy they deserve, and that practical, everyday care routines may be mishandled in ways that touch on both compassion and competence.

Against the backdrop of these concerns, there remains a final voice that elevates the narrative with steady appreciation: "A friendly, loving environment and an owner & staff you can count on! Thank you for all you do." This closing sentiment represents a hopeful counterpoint to the more critical notes, signaling that for some families and residents, the facility can be a reliable source of support, comfort, and steady, kind care when conditions align - such as when management is accessible, staff are attentive, and the atmosphere feels welcoming.

Taken as a whole, these reviews sketch a complex portrait of a Michigan facility that evokes strong reactions. For some, it is a place of warmth and dependable staff, a home where managers and caregivers can form meaningful connections with residents and families. For others, it is a setting where serious concerns about cleanliness, odors, safety protocols, and staffing practices overshadow any positives, prompting questions about regulatory compliance and the quality of life inside. Prospective families and residents would benefit from weighing these experiences against current, firsthand visits, speaking directly with management about cleanliness standards, infection control practices, staffing ratios, and opportunities for visiting and participation in daily routines. The spectrum of opinions suggests that improvements in transparency, consistent care practices, and facility upkeep could help bring the two divergent threads closer together, aligning daily life inside the home with the high hopes many families have for compassionate, capable, and clean care.

Transportation

• Natures Image Taxidermy (3 miles)
• U-Haul International (3.7 miles)
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car (5.1 miles)
• Star Truck Rentals (5.3 miles)
• Great Lake Central (5.5 miles)
• Great Lakes Central Railroad (6.3 miles)
• Trails End Taxidermy (7.5 miles)

Places of Worship

• General Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists (3.1 miles)
• Oneness Apostolic Sanctuary (4.4 miles)
• St Ann's Catholic Church (4.8 miles)
• Kingdom Hall-Jehovah's Witness (4.9 miles)
• Saint Edward Parish (4.9 miles)
• Temple Hill Baptist Church (5.3 miles)
• Cadillac West Seventh Day Adventist Cadillac (5.5 miles)

Restaurants

• Timbers (3.5 miles)
• The Truck Stop (4.8 miles)
• Little Caesars Pizza (4.9 miles)
• Little Mexico (5 miles)
• Qdoba Mexican Eats (5 miles)
• McDonald's (5 miles)
• Bob Evans (5 miles)

Pharmacies

• Meijer Pharmacy (5 miles)
• Walgreens (5.5 miles)
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy (6.4 miles)
• Cadillac Family Pharmacy (6.4 miles)
• Family Fare Supermarkets (6.7 miles)
• Glen's Pharmacy (6.7 miles)
• Rite Aid (6.7 miles)

Parks

• Kenwood Heritage Park (5 miles)
• Chris Blackburn Skate Park (6 miles)
• Diggins Park (6.2 miles)
• City Park - Cadillac Commons (6.5 miles)
• White Pine Trail State Park (7.3 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (5.1 miles)
• Biggby Coffee (5.1 miles)
• All Beans Coffee Company (5.3 miles)
• Michigan Coffee (5.6 miles)
• Tonys Park Place Cafe (6.4 miles)
• Tim Hortons (7.8 miles)

Physicians

• Mercy Ob - GYN Partners (5.6 miles)
• Lisa Jacobson DO PC (5.9 miles)
• Allergy & Asthma Specialists Of Cadillac (6.4 miles)
• Family Practice of Cadillac (6.8 miles)
• Cadillac Oral Surgeons (7.1 miles)
• Cadillac Surgical Care PC (7.2 miles)
• Cadillac Cancer Care Center (7.2 miles)

Theaters

• GQT Cadillac 4 (6.5 miles)

Hospitals

• Advance Foot & Ankle Center (6.9 miles)
• Mercy Hospital Cadillac (6.9 miles)
• Munson Healthcare Cadillac Hospital (7 miles)