North Woods Assisted Living

Pros

• The nurses were excellent.
• The staff were great.

Cons

• They were told their father couldn't have a bath for a week because there was only one aide for Manistique and Escanaba.
• They were told they had to pick up hospice meds an hour away, and at 1 pm there was "No record of him as a pt" while the pharmacy closed at 4 pm.
• Their experience with a scheduler was that she was rude and hung up on them, and they were told "we've never had a problem with her," discounting their experience.
• They felt sympathy cards that were unsigned and imprinted were not worth sending.
• The secretarial staff were more interested in talking to each other than acknowledging the drop-off of extra supplies.
• They noted it's odd that there are three reviews, but only two count as five stars.

Review

The overall impression conveyed is a mixture of admiration for individual care providers and sharp disappointment with systemic and administrative aspects of the organization. On the one hand, the reviewer acknowledges that "The nurses were excellent," a sentiment that stands in stark contrast to the rest of the experience. The irony is palpable: the praise for the nursing staff sits beside a series of frustrating, sometimes troubling encounters that suggest gaps in scheduling, operations, and communication. This juxtaposition leaves readers with a complex picture - one where compassionate hands are doing their best, but organizational hurdles sometimes undermine the care experience.

A recurring theme is concern about basic, compassionate care logistics. The reviewer describes a troubling decision about bathing routines, noting that a parent "couldn't have a bath for a week" because "we only have one aide for Manistique and Escanaba." The implication is clear: staffing constraints are affecting even fundamental routines that affect dignity and hygiene. The frustration isn't about the nurses themselves but about the operational reality that limits how often a patient can be attended to in ways that are routine in most caregiving settings. The stated rationale feels blunt and unsympathetic, leading to the impression that policy constraints are being communicated without enough empathy for the family's needs.

Access to medications and continuity of care add another layer of strain. The reviewer recounts being told they had to pick up hospice meds an hour away, only to encounter a pharmacy that "closed at 4 pm" and, at 1 pm, a startling message: "No record of him as a pt." This sequence reads as a serious administrative hiccup - perhaps a misfiled record, a scheduling error, or a miscommunication that leaves family members scrambling to ensure essential medications remain available. The emotional weight of this obstacle is evident: in hospice care, timely access to meds is critical, and encountering contradictory or missing records compounds anxiety at an already difficult time.

Communication with staff is described as inconsistent and at times discouraging. The reviewer notes a negative interaction with a scheduler who was "rude and hung up on me," and then adds the distressing counterpoint that staff defended the scheduler by saying, "we've never had a problem with her." This escalation - one person's negative experience dismissed by others as typical or problem-free - highlights a culture where individual grievances may be minimized or dismissed rather than addressed. The impact is not only immediate frustration but a dampening of trust in the system's ability to respond with care and accountability when concerns arise.

Small gestures of kindness or condolences are also called into question. The reviewer mentions sympathy cards, specifically criticizing a card that was "imprinted only" and stating, "If you can't be bothered to sign your name to a sympathy card, imprinted only, don't bother to send it." This remark points to a perceived lack of personal touch and consideration at a moment when genuine empathy matters. In a setting where families are navigating loss and grief, such details can feel symbolic of a broader disengagement, reinforcing the sense that the organization is more about routine procedures than about heartfelt support.

A separate strand of the critique focuses on the front-desk and administrative interactions when supplies are delivered. The reviewer describes the secretarial staff while dropping off extra supplies as being "more interested in talking to each other than acknowledging I had dropped off supplies." This detail suggests a breakdown in basic professional courtesy and responsiveness at the clerical level, contributing to a feeling that administrative processes - often the backbone of smooth patient care - are not given the attention they deserve. The cumulative effect is a sense of disconnect between the hands-on care from nurses and the bureaucratic friction encountered elsewhere in the organization.

Finally, there is an intriguing meta-comment about online reviews and credibility. The reviewer observes, "Interesting how there are 3 reviews, but the only 2 that count are ?5'. Only 3 reviews for ?37 years of being in business'??" This aside reveals a nagging suspicion about how the organization's reputation is presented and perceived. It hints at a possible mismatch between the long tenure of the business and the current experiences of patients and families. The closing line, "Great staff," seems to function as a partial counterpoint - an acknowledgment that there are capable, compassionate workers on the ground - while not fully offsetting the broader concerns raised throughout the account.

In sum, the narrative presents a healthcare experience marked by excellent nursing care on one hand and tangible deficiencies on the other. Staffing constraints affecting essential daily routines, administrative missteps disrupting medication access, curt or dismissive responses from schedulers, a lackluster approach to symbolic gestures like sympathy cards, and a perceived disconnect among front-office staff - all contribute to a sense of systemic friction that can overshadow the moments of genuine care. The reviewer's final sentiment - recognizing "great staff" amid a string of serious issues - leaves readers with a nuanced, unresolved impression: the human beings delivering care show up with dedication, but the systems surrounding them sometimes fail to support that care in ways families need most. The message is clear: there is strong performance at the bedside, but there is also a pronounced need for improved communication, coordination, and compassionate administrative practice to bring the overall experience in line with the compassion shown by the nurses.

This part of Escanaba, Michigan offers a convenient and diverse range of amenities for seniors. Within walking distance, there are several pharmacies, restaurants, places of worship, parks, physicians' offices, and a hospital. This makes it easy for seniors to access necessary services and enjoy recreational activities without having to travel far. Additionally, transportation options are available nearby, including taxi services and an airport with Delta Air Lines for any long-distance travel needs. The presence of cafes also provides opportunities for socialization and relaxation in the area. Overall, this neighborhood offers a well-rounded environment for seniors looking for a comfortable and convenient place to live.

Pharmacies

• Super One Foods (0 miles)
• Elmers Pharmacy (0.2 miles)
• Mi Lot-Elmers County M (0.2 miles)
• Walgreens (0.4 miles)
• Escanaba Pharmacy (0.9 miles)
• UPS Authorized Shipping Provider (7.2 miles)

Restaurants

• Pizza Hut (0.1 miles)
• McDonald's (0.1 miles)
• Taco Bell (0.1 miles)
• Culver's (0.2 miles)
• Subway (0.2 miles)
• Hardee's (0.2 miles)
• Drifters Restaurant (0.2 miles)

Places of Worship

• Wellspring Community Church (0.2 miles)
• Seventh Day Adventist Food Pantry (0.3 miles)
• Central United Methodist Church (0.6 miles)
• Christ the King Lutheran Church ELCA (0.8 miles)
• Silver Winds Church (0.8 miles)
• Christian Science Society (0.9 miles)
• Christ The King Lutheran Church Parsonage (0.9 miles)

Parks

• Escanaba Parks & Recreation (0.3 miles)
• Ludington Park (1.6 miles)
• Municipal Dock (1.7 miles)
• Hyde Roadside Park (7.5 miles)

Physicians

• North Shore Internal Medicine (0.4 miles)
• Spine Pain Diagnostics Associates (0.8 miles)
• Osf Medical Group (0.8 miles)
• Miracle-Ear Hearing Aid Center (0.8 miles)
• BayCare Clinic Neurological (0.8 miles)
• Elizabeth Wilson DO (0.8 miles)
• OSF HealthCare St. Francis Hospital & Medical Group (0.9 miles)

Hospitals

• Catholic Charities Of The Up (0.9 miles)
• St Francis Hospital (1 miles)
• Marquette Medical Clinic (1 miles)
• Midwest Kidney Centers (1.1 miles)
• Great Lakes Recovery Center (1.4 miles)

Transportation

• U-Haul (1 miles)
• Jn Taxi (1.1 miles)
• Delta County Airport (ESC) (2.4 miles)
• Delta Air Lines (2.4 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (4 miles)
• North Country Legends Txdrmy (7.2 miles)
• U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer (7.3 miles)

Cafes

• Up North Roast Coffee (1.3 miles)
• Happy Rock Cafe (7.3 miles)