I don't think that too many people opt to move to The Villages for the fabulous healthcare. They move to TV to be active, socially engaged and to enjoy a good quality of life in retirement. Leading an active, healthy, happy lifestyle makes people less prone to illness. Of course, illness can happen no matter where you live and no matter how happy and active you are. The older you get, the more likely it is that you will develop health issues that require a certain level of medical diligence and competence to treat effectively.
But, again, few people move to The Villages for the healthcare and, in TV, there seems to be a rather significant supply/demand issue. I was looking around at the various medical center websites and I was noticing that many doctors are not taking new patients. It may very well be necessary to look outside The Villages just to find a primary care doctor which is sort of crazy.
My husband and I are in our mid to late 50's and pretty healthy. We would definitely be moving to The Villages for the active lifestyle and overall quality of life. We have never chosen to live anywhere based on the quality of healthcare services. The town we live in now has adequate providers, I wouldn't call them "the best" but we really don't have any reason to need top notch medical care right now. An annual physical is fine.
However, it does give me pause to hear the concerns being raised regarding the medical care (or lack thereof) in The Villages. I am not too keen on the idea of having to drive long distances just to get treated by a qualified specialist, especially when we're older. At the same time, I can't see moving close to The Mayo Clinic "just in case" we might get sick some day. Lifestyle is definitely our number one consideration at this stage of our lives. I appreciate you all sharing your stories. You've given me some things to think about. One would think that a large community like The Villages would attract more in the way of healthcare providers.
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