amenities for the disabled
 

We are looking at the possibility of moving to TV. My husband has recently become disabled and is in a wheelchair. Can anyone tell us about wheelchair accessibility in The Villages, as well as housing options for the disabled and activities for the disabled.

Thank you. Your input would be most appreciated.

Phyllis Sautner

I wish I could be helpful. I don't know the answer. You might want to contact The Villages Sales Office for information. It's 1-800-245-1081.

However, I see this is your first post. From one Phyllis to another, just wanted to say :wave: and welcome to Talk of the Villages (TOTV).

If you haven't been to The Villages, please come down for a visit. Ask the sales office about a Lifestyle Tour. This is a wonderful, magical, friendly, welcoming community and I bet you and your husband would love it!

here's the link to the wkly recreation publication put together by the villages daily newspaper:
http://www.thevillagesdailysun.com/s...cc4c03286.html
if you click on the 'pdf download' button you can read the entire publication.

from what i have observed in the villages - curb cuts and ramps abound in the squares, rec centers and most all shopping centers; auto doors - good at the dept stores, not so good at stores in the town squares.

i believe i read in the recreation publication that the 'hilltop pool' in the country club hills village on the historic side has a lift chair for the handicapped - i can only guess that this accommodation could also be found elsewhere.

the recreation publication also identifies all of the clubs in the villages/when they meet/contact info; and it provides the weekly schedule of what activity is going on at which recreation center [and there is a boatload of them!].

hope this helps even tho it doesn't cover home construction.

We just moved here & my husband uses a wheelchair (hemi-walker around the house with me). We bought a Spruce model - wider doors & open floor plan for a wheelchair. My only complaint is that they did not put wood all the way arounf the roll-in shower for installing additional grab bars (they installed 2 - we needed more) - so that was a task that should have been necessary.

Everything is flat - easy to get around - so he has been out more in 2 weeks that the past 3 months in CT.

I have not been to TV but did ask the same question a while back. My impression is that not all communities have sidewalks. Thus going to a house a few doors down might require you to use the road. Also sounds like using the golf cart path is OK as they are for everyone.

As mentioned I would pay attention to the widths of doorways and the space available in the bathroom etc.

Phyllis, I can't speak about in the house with any degree of first hand knowledge as I can get around in it without mobility assistance, but when I leave the house I usually need to use my mobility scooter as I can't walk too far.

I've been to the town squares as well as supercenters, large and small furnature stores, supermarkets and more, and I've found few issues when doing so on my scooter. In a few of the stores in the squares the space available does not afford me the ability to go into them, but it might be a different story in a wheel chair. Scooters need a greater amount of space for turning than wheel chairs do.

To put my opinion in a nut shell I have to say that you can put those concerns behind you. I had some of the same concerns before actually being in TV and can now offer this additional opinion to you... I don't think you'll find any place more accessible friendly than the villages and if you still have any doubts after reading the responses to your question, you could consider doing a short term rental or stay in one of the hotels in TV to experience things first hand for your selves!

BTW, I found that using my scooter on the residential streets to be fine, but on non-residential streets like Odell Circle for instance, you need to be a little careful. Access to what sidewalks are there are limited. I've also used the golf cart trail between Hadley and Colony Plaza once and it was OK, but I did feel a little out of place. But I guess that that's just me!

My bestfriend relies on an electric w/c for mobility. From what I can see, homes can be easily modified for individual needs, but a person would need to provide their own transportation. I suppose if he moved close to one of the town squares, he could manage in that little world, but it would be a shame to miss out on all the other beautiful areas and ammenities TV has to offer. I asked a while back why there wasn't a bus system (with a lift ) that would maybe stop at postoffices and make loops every 30 or 60 mins. To me, they seem an easy distance to get to. Even as an able bodied person, I would use that service. I think it would significantly decrease accidents caused by alcohol and increased congestion and how relaxing that ride would be! A buck a ride? I know, the cost of gas. So, how about a buck two ninety-eight? I love to see the trolley out and about. Wouldn't it be a nice and welcoming way to show potential buyers and visitors that we embrace people from all walks of life? JMHO.