Experience the Bay County Medical Care Facility “We Care” Difference

Plan Your Stay

Planning Your Stay at Bay County Medical Care Facility

Welcome to your new home. We’re delighted that you are considering joining us. Please read through this information to learn more about all that we do to help older adults enjoy an engaging lifestyle while benefitting from high-quality health care services.

If you have any questions, please let us know. We are here to help you enjoy all your new opportunities as part of our family.

What do I need for admission?

Our experienced Admissions Staff will help you with your application and transition into our facility. We are knowledgeable in Medicare and Medicaid guidelines and work closely with hospitals throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region of Bay City, Saginaw, Midland, and the Thumb.

If you’re going to a private home or assisted living facility, our discharge planner will help arrange any services you need, such as home health care, home-delivered meals, or medical equipment. If you have concerns, please let our discharge planner know. Our nurses and therapists will take the time to make sure your family and caregivers know exactly what you need.

Our physicians and nursing staff will give you a detailed, written discharge summary including information about all current medications. A copy of this goes to the resident and a copy goes to his or her primary care physician. Our RN case managers review discharge instructions with you before you leave.

If you’re going to another facility, then we will send them a detailed, written discharge summary and any medical forms they need. Our discharge planner can arrange for transportation, if needed. We also can pack your personal belongings.

Please feel free to contact us at any time for more information regarding nursing home placement, facility services that we provide, or to make an appointment for an individual facility tour.

Admission Packet
Patient Advocate Info
If you can bring the following information on admission day, it helps speed up the process:
  • A physician’s order for admission for a Skilled Nursing Facility. Please have your physician complete the forms in the Admission Packet.
  • A chest X-ray report within the last 90 days
  • Details about current and past health problems including surgeries, allergies, and treatments. Your doctor may be able to provide this information. If your loved one is coming from a hospital or assisted living facility, then the discharge planners there will provide the information directly to us.
  • Current medications, including the over-the-counter medications and dosages. Whenever possible, please bring the medication labels to us. (If your loved one is coming from a hospital, medications may have been changed. We may not be allowed to use what your loved one was using at home.)
  • Current doctors including names, addresses, and telephone numbers.
  • Family members to call in case of an emergency. Include more than one, if possible, along with names, addresses, and phone numbers.
  • Advance directives, if any exist.
  • Legal documents naming a Financial Power of Attorney, or a Guardian.
  • Prepaid burial arrangements, if any exist.
  • Health care coverage information (including enrollment in medical insurance, long-term care insurance, Medicare, Medicaid or Veterans Affairs benefits). We will need copies of your insurance cards.

Admission FAQs

It’s normal for new residents and their families to feel anxiety on Admission Day. We’ll do everything we can to make the transition as smooth as possible for everyone. For many people, knowing what to expect relieves anxiety, so take a moment to review this information.

During your first few days here, you can expect to complete forms and answer a lot of questions. We are committed to doing things the right way and that means getting to know you and your needs. Please ask a family member to stay with you on your first day to answer any questions and soothe any anxiety. Our staff will make sure you and your family know where to find everything you need, from the dining room to the bathroom to how to work the television sets.

As you get settled, you can expect visits from nurses, social workers, therapists, our activity department, and more. You will have an RN case manager assigned to you. He or she will visit you often throughout your stay to ensure a smooth transition into the facility as well as a smooth discharge. If you have any questions or concerns, please let any of us know. We want you to feel safe and comfortable in your new home.

Within your first three weeks here, we’ll hold a Resident Care Conference. Residents are encouraged to participate in the Care Conference. We update Care Plans at least once every 3 months.

Surrounding yourself with treasured belongings quickly transforms our space into your home. We encourage you to bring personal belongings. However, we also must consider the safety of all residents and our staff. Our maintenance team must inspect all furniture before placing it in a room. We also require that our staff evaluate each resident’s safety in using personal furniture.

After the inspection and evaluation, we allow residents to bring the following items, if space permits:

  • 1 dresser no larger than 32” wide, 18” deep and 45” high.
  • Residents with TVs are permitted to bring a stand no larger than 29” wide, 18” deep, and 45” high.
  • Ambulatory residents who do not need assistance transferring to a chair are allowed to bring a stationary recliner. No oversized or overstuffed chairs are allowed.

We offer furniture evaluations between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Just stop at the Reception Desk on weekdays or at the Nurses Station on Saturdays to ask for assistance from our maintenance staff.

For safety reasons, we do not allow the following furniture:
  • Curio cabinets
  • Bookshelves
  • Coffee tables
  • End tables
  • Nightstands
  • China cabinets
  • Hutches
  • Corner cabinets
  • Buffets
  • Wardrobes
  • Storage cabinets
  • Rocking chairs and gliders
    (Exceptions may be made for residents in private or pod-style rooms.)

We encourage residents to watch the televisions in our community rooms and enjoy the opportunity to visit with other people. However, we do also allow some personal electronic equipment. All electronics must be Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved and grounded as well as pass inspection by our staff. For the safety of everyone, all equipment and cords must be in good working condition. We reserve the right to remove any equipment if it represents a safety risk or hazard.

The most common electronic equipment people want to bring is a television. We allow TVs with the following stipulations:

  • Only portable TVs with remote controls are permitted.
  • The picture screen may not exceed 32” measured diagonally.
  • Must be in good working order.
  • All maintenance and repair is the responsibility of the resident and family.
  • TVs must be UL approved.
  • Wall-mounted TVs are preferred.
For safety reasons, we do not allow the following furniture:
  • Electric fans
  • Humidifiers
  • Heating pads
  • Hot water bottles
  • Electric blankets
  • Mattress pads
  • Electric fireplaces
  • Refrigerators
  • Electric coolers

This is your home, so we have open visiting hours. Please let your family and friends know what time works best for you. We welcome children and pets as well. (Pets must be on a leash and are not allowed in any food service areas.)

Eating a meal together is a pleasurable experience for family and friends. We invite your family and friends to join you for a meal. Visitor meal tickets are $7 each. Please stop at our Business Office for meal passes. If you invite more than 2 people to dine with you, then we require a 2-week notice.

Visitors are welcome to bring lunches here to enjoy with their loved ones.

Most families are not familiar with all the details involved in paying for nursing home care, so we help you with the paperwork. Residents and their families will need to disclose financial information before admission. Some of the information we will need includes:

  • Is the resident enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid or do they plan to apply before admission? Does the resident have supplemental insurance?
  • Does the resident receive veterans’ benefits, SSI funds, or a private or government pension?
  • What are the resident’s assets, including cash, bank accounts, stocks, bonds, CDs, trust funds, and real estate holdings?
  • Does the resident have any paid-up life insurance policies, paid-up burial insurance, or long-term care insurance?
  • Has the resident transferred assets in the last 3 to 5 years?
  • Where does the resident live now? In his or her own home or a rental unit? How much is the monthly rental or mortgage payment?