Assisted Living
The Oaks at Northern Lights
702 Bratley Dr, Washburn, WI 54891 · Map
Licensed for 17 residents · NORTHERN LIGHTS SERVICES
The Oaks at Northern Lights is a state-licensed assisted living community in Washburn, Wisconsin. It is licensed for 17 residents. Lilisity publishes no score or ranking for this community; the details below come from the state licensing record.
Prices
Starting prices the community publishes, with the date we checked each one and a link to where it is published. Care charges are usually added after an assessment.
| Care | Starting at | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Assisted Living | $4,992 /mo | Sep 1, 2026 |
Area costs
Care and services
From the community’s website
What The Oaks at Northern Lights says about itself, quoted from its own site. We have not checked these claims against licensing records. Ask about each one on a tour.
- Nurse on site: 24 hours a day.
24 hour Nursing Care
(page, checked Oct 12, 2026) - Has a secured outdoor area.
Secure patio with raised gardens and grilling area.
(page, checked Oct 12, 2026) - Apartment types named: private room, semi-private room.
Semi private and private rooms.
(page, checked Oct 12, 2026)
Lilisity’s independent report
What the public record shows
Gathered by Lilisity from state and federal sources. Communities can’t edit this part of the page.
License
Active, 17 residents
Community Based Residential Facility, CLASS CNA (NONAMBULATORY); dementia/Alzheimer's client group approved 0012705, current license dated Apr 1, 2010. Licensee NORTHERN LIGHTS SERVICES.
Nearest emergency room
7.9 miles
Tamarack Health Ashland Medical Center, rated 3 of 5 stars by CMS.
Side by side with nearby communities
The 4 nearest communities that offer assisted living, by straight-line distance. Prices are starting prices each community publishes; we never show estimates.
| Community | Distance | Licensed capacity | Published starting price | License | Inspection citations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Oaks at Northern Lights this community | 17 | $4,992/mo | Active | 25 deficiencies, 3 enforcement | |
| Birch Haven North RCAC | 0.3 mi | 13 | $2,400/mo | Active | 16 deficiencies, 5 enforcement |
| Chequamegon Area Assisted Living | 0.3 mi | 12 | $2,226/mo | Active | 0 deficiencies, 0 enforcement |
| Birch Haven Senior Living Falcons Crest | 7.0 mi | 15 | $3,390/mo | Active | 25 deficiencies, 3 enforcement |
| Birch Haven Senior Living Eagles Ridge | 7.0 mi | 8 | $3,390/mo | Active | 11 deficiencies, 2 enforcement |
State inspection record25 deficiencies, 3 enforcement
- Last survey
- March 23, 2026 standard survey, complaint, verification visit
- Surveys
- 4
- Deficiencies cited
- 25
- Enforcement letters
- 3
- Forfeitures imposed
- $10,600 3 notices
- Complaints substantiated
- 8 of 12 as stated in the reports
Enforcement
- April 17, 2026: notice of violation, order to comply, forfeiture, forfeiture $900 (reduced to $585 if paid within ten days)
- July 9, 2025: notice of violation, order to comply, special orders, forfeiture, forfeiture $3,800 (reduced to $2,470 if paid within ten days)
- December 26, 2024: notice of violation, order to comply, special orders, forfeiture, forfeiture $5,900 (reduced to $3,835 if paid within ten days)
March 23, 2026, standard survey, complaint, verification visit 2 of 5 complaints substantiated · statement of deficiency
- Employees screened for communicable disease (DHS 83.17(2)(a)) Hiring and employment
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure 3 of 3 employees sampled had sufficient documentation of a communicable disease screen, including tuberculosis (TB), prior to starting employment. - Continuing education (DHS 83.25) Continuing education
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure 2 of 3 employees sampled received continuing education in first aid in 2025. - Orientation, continuing education documented (DHS 83.26(2)) Documentation
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure 2 of 3 employees sampled had orientation training documented in their files. - Rights of Residents: Receive medication (DHS 83.32(3)(h)) Rights of residents
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure all residents had the right to refuse medications when Resident 1 was given an influenza vaccine contrary to signed orders which declined an influenza vaccine for Resident 1.
November 13, 2025, complaint 0 of 1 complaints substantiated · statement of deficiency
- No deficiencies listed in the statement
June 3, 2025, complaint, verification visit 4 of 4 complaints substantiated · statement of deficiency
- Licensee ensures facility complies with laws (DHS 83.14(2)(a)) Licensee
From the report: Based on record review and interviews, the provider and its operation did not comply with all laws governing the Community Based Residential Facility (CBRF). - Rights of Residents: Self-determination (DHS 83.32(3)(k)) Rights of residents
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure Resident 1's right to self-direction was respected. - Service plans updated annually or on changes (DHS 83.35(3)(d)) Assessment, individual service plan and evaluations
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure 3 of 3 residents reviewed (Resident 1, Resident 2, and Resident 3), signed their individual service plans (ISP), acknowledging they were involved in, understood and agreed with the ISP. - Qualified staff in charge, on duty and awake (DHS 83.36(1)(b)) Staffing requirements
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure there was a qualified resident care staff present in the facility at all times. - Health monitoring (DHS 83.38(1)(g)) Program services
From the report: Based on interview and record review, the provider did not ensure 2 of 3 residents reviewed (Resident 2 and Resident 3) received health monitoring services to meet their needs.
October 22, 2024, complaint, verification visit 2 of 2 complaints substantiated · statement of deficiency
- Notification: incident, injury, changes (DHS 83.12(5)(a)) Investigation, notification, and reporting requirements
From the report: Based on interview and record review, the provider did not immediately notify residents' legal representatives upon a significant change in condition. - Licensee ensures facility complies with laws (DHS 83.14(2)(a)) Licensee
From the report: Based on interview and record review, the licensee did not ensure the provider complied with all laws when it failed to follow special orders and achieve and maintain regulatory compliance. - Administrator shall supervise daily operation (DHS 83.15(3)(a)) Administrator
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the administrator did not supervise the daily operation in a way that ensured residents received adequate care and services and staff were properly trained. - Employees screened for communicable disease (DHS 83.17(2)(a)) Hiring and employment
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure 2 of 2 staff sampled (Caregiver C and Caregiver D) were screened for communicable disease, including tuberculosis (TB). - Orientation (DHS 83.19) Orientation
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure 3 of 3 employees sampled, completed orientation training.
Show all 9
- Department-approved training courses (DHS 83.20(2)(a)-(d)) Department-approved training
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure 1 of 3 employees sampled completed Department-approved training. - Task specific training (DHS 83.22(1)-(4)) Task specific training
From the report: Based on record review and interview the provider did not ensure 2 of 2 employees sampled (Caregiver C and Caregiver D) received training on the provision of personal care. - Rights of Residents: Adequate treatment (DHS 83.32(3)(i)) Rights of residents
From the report: Based on record review and interview, the provider did not ensure Resident 1 was provided prompt and adequate treatment on 08/31/2024. - and 8 more in the report
Read the survey history on DQA’s Provider Search →
What these terms mean
DQA: “A survey can take place for many reasons: To recertify or renew a facility's license. This is called a standard survey. To make sure a provider has fixed any issues found in a past survey. This is called a verification (follow-up) visit survey. To look at a complaint or incident. This is called an investigation visit survey.” VV in a survey type means a verification visit.
“The surveyor notes any violations of laws or requirements on a Statement of Deficiency (SOD) form.” “A deficiency is something that goes against a state or federal regulation. It's also called a violation.”
“Enforcement includes actions or penalties (also called remedies) for the provider. They may apply to the provider based on how serious their deficiency/violation is or how long it takes them to fix it. If a provider gets a penalty, you'll see a document under Enforcement.”
“For registered (not certified) residential care apartment complexes, surveys only happen if there's a complaint. If the surveyor finds problems, they issue a Notice of Non-Compliance letter instead of an SOD form.”
Rule numbers refer to Wisconsin Administrative Code chapter DHS 83 (community-based residential facilities) and DHS 89 (residential care apartment complexes). The short rule titles are the ones DQA prints in each statement; quoted findings are the report’s own words.
DQA posts surveys from the last three years. DHS says posting may be delayed and Provider Search is updated weekly. This community is licensed for 17 residents; larger communities are surveyed and reported on more often, so read counts with size in mind. Source: Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Quality Assurance, data as of October 15, 2026. Always visit in person and ask the community about anything listed here.
License and ownershipActive license, licensee NORTHERN LIGHTS SERVICES
- License type
- Community Based Residential Facility, CLASS CNA (NONAMBULATORY); dementia/Alzheimer's client group approved
- License number
- 0012705
- License status
- Active
- Current license dated
- 2010-04-01
- Licensed capacity
- 17
- Licensee
- NORTHERN LIGHTS SERVICES
- County
- Bayfield County
- Interim Administrator
- Olusola Ajayi
Source: Wisconsin state licensing records (agency listing), retrieved 2026-09-09. Licensing status is a matter of public record; it is not a quality rating.
Interim Administrator name from public records we reviewed, as of Oct 12, 2026.
Paying with Medicaid and other programsHow Medicaid pays for care in Wisconsin, and other programs
How Medicaid pays for care in Wisconsin
- Family Care. Family Care offers a full range of long-term care services through managed care organizations (MCOs), and your MCO care team must approve services first. Its benefits include residential services in settings like adult family homes and residential care apartment complexes. (state page)
- Waitlist. Family Care became statewide and the wait list ended. (source)
Ask the community whether it accepts Medicaid.
Location and nearby careNearest hospital 7.9 mi, nursing home 0.0 mi, pharmacy 0.8 mi
- Nearest hospital with an emergency room
- Tamarack Health Ashland Medical Center, Ashland. 7.9 miles away, straight line. CMS overall hospital rating: 3 of 5 stars.
- Nearest Medicare nursing home
- Northern Lights HCC, Washburn. 0.0 miles away, straight line.
- Nearest home health agency office
- Avanti Home Care, Ashland. 7.5 miles away, straight line. Agencies travel to clients, so ask which ones serve this address.
- Nearest pharmacy
- Brownstone Rx. 0.8 miles away, straight line. From OpenStreetMap, which does not list every pharmacy, so one may be closer.
- Area
- USDA classes ZIP code 54891 as rural (rural area).
- Dialysis within 15 miles
- Fmc Dialysis - Chequamegon Bay, Ashland, 7.6 miles away, straight line (CMS rating 3 of 5 stars)
- Hospice
- 2 Medicare hospices tell CMS they serve ZIP code 54891.
Regional Hospice Services, office in Ashland, 7.7 miles away, straight line (CMS family survey rating 5 of 5 stars) - Nearest geriatric medicine practice
- Twin Cities Physicians Professional Corporation, Superior. 57.6 miles away, straight line. 1 geriatric medicine doctor listed there.
Distances are straight lines from the community, not driving distance. Hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors come from CMS provider data (CMS, hospital list updated Jul 22, 2026). Star ratings are CMS’s own.
Emergency and natural hazard riskFEMA overall risk relatively moderate; outside FEMA's high-risk flood areas
Public hazard maps for this location. Ask the community about its emergency plan, its generator and where residents would go in an evacuation.
- Flood zone
- Outside the high and moderate risk flood areas on FEMA's flood map (Zone X, minimal flood hazard, or not studied). (FEMA flood map)
- FEMA National Risk Index
- Overall: relatively moderate. By hazard: inland flooding relatively low, coastal flooding very low, wildfire very low, tornado relatively low, heat wave relatively low. These are FEMA’s ratings for the census tract, compared with tracts nationwide. (FEMA, December 2025)
A flood zone describes the map at this point, not the building's elevation. In an emergency, follow the local emergency management agency.
Questions to ask on a tour10 questions picked for this community from its record
Picked for this community from its record. Ask them in person and write down the answers.
- The state recorded a finding in March 2026. What was it, and how was it fixed?
- Your published starting price is a base rate. What would the total monthly cost be for my parent's needs?
- How much have prices gone up in each of the last three years?
- How many caregivers are on duty during the day and at night?
- What happens if care needs increase? When would someone need to move?
- What fees are charged at move-in?
- How do you tell families about falls, illness or changes?
- How long have the executive director and the head of care been here?
- Who gives medications, and what training do they have?
- For what reasons can a resident be asked to leave?
What we checked13 public sources we searched, with dates
Every public source we searched for this community. “Nothing on record” means we found no record that matched it. A record can be missed when a name or address differs.
| Source | Data as of | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Quality Assurance inspection records | Oct 15, 2026 | See above |
| Wisconsin Medicaid provider list | Sep 9, 2026 | Not on the state list we checked. These lists are often incomplete. |
| U.S. Department of Labor wage and hour cases | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| OSHA workplace safety inspections since 2016 | Oct 15, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| FEMA flood map | See above | |
| USDA wildfire risk | Apr 15, 2026 | Not shown: FEMA rates wildfire risk here very low |
| FEMA National Risk Index | See above | |
| CMS hospitals, home health, dialysis, hospice and doctors; OpenStreetMap pharmacies | See above | |
| HUD Multifamily Properties - Assisted | Jul 6, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| State Veterans Homes (NASVH directory) | Sep 20, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Hospice - General Information | Aug 19, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| CMS Home Health Care Agencies | May 27, 2026 | Nothing on record |
| The community’s own website | See above |
Common questionsAnswers to 4 questions families ask
What type of care does The Oaks at Northern Lights provide?
The Oaks at Northern Lights is licensed by the state of Wisconsin for assisted living in Washburn, Wisconsin. Its licensed capacity is 17 residents.
Does Lilisity rate The Oaks at Northern Lights?
No. We publish state licensing details for The Oaks at Northern Lights but no score, rating, or ranking. Only communities on the Top Communities list or with a Senior Living Alliance Excellence Award, both based on phone-verified resident and family interviews, are ranked.
How much does The Oaks at Northern Lights cost?
Assisted Living in Wisconsin typically starts at $3,500 to $5,650 a month. Based on 1,797 communities that publish prices. These are area figures, not this community's price. The starting prices it publishes are in the Prices section on this page.
How do I contact The Oaks at Northern Lights?
Use The Oaks at Northern Lights's website, northernlightsservices.org, or visit at 702 Bratley Dr, Washburn, WI 54891.
How Lilisity works. The only scores or rankings Lilisity publishes are the Top Communities list and the Excellence Awards, both built from phone-verified resident and family interviews. Communities can pay Lilisity a flat monthly fee to manage their own listing: photos, prices, contact details, and receiving the inquiries families choose to send them. The fee is the same no matter how many families contact them or move in. Senior Living Alliance, which runs Lilisity, offers the same listing to its member communities as part of their membership; members pay SLA for its resident and family interview program. No community pays Lilisity per inquiry, per referral or per move-in. Payment never changes a testimonial, a rating, or the order of search results. The "Nearby Senior Living Alliance communities" box shows member communities only. How we verify testimonials · How we are paid