Family member council of Bayside Village residents hopes to expand awareness of care facility concerns

L’ANSE, Mich. (WLUC) - Family members of Mission Point’s Bayside Village Nursing and Rehabilitation Center residents met Tuesday evening to discuss the concerns of residents at the facility.

They were joined by Jennifer Figler, an intern of 109th State House District Representative Jenn Hill. She was present for the meeting on behalf of Hill.

According to the Family Council’s President Mike Dault, the council focuses on five concerns a month which range from wrong meals to residents not receiving enough assistance.

They then informed a Bayside liaison about their concerns, who delivers and addresses them to Mission Point’s Board of Directors.

“We structured our meeting around one hour,” said Dault. “We spend the first half an hour talking about the old business, and the next half an hour is the new business, which is five new concerns again. We figure, how can they not address five things in one month?”

Organizers say they also want to bring attention to a shortage of staff, one of several issues in Copper Country care facilities since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“By the time they get more, more quit,” continued Dault. “We need volunteers. We’re reaching out to anybody in the community to encourage people to get into CNA (certified nursing assistant), who can work here. Whether it be in the kitchen, CNA, nursing, there are so many places that you can work and volunteer.”

Dault says the council is the only one of its kind in the U.P. and hopes to raise awareness to help similar councils form in other areas.

“Our main goal?” added Dault. “To be organized, to bring help, and to just reach out to the community and our lawmakers for help.”

Tuesday marked the council’s fourth meeting.

It meets every third Tuesday of the month at the Bayside Village facility.

Interested parties can contact Dault regarding the council at muskydo53@yahoo.com.

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