[SeaLark7]

I do not live in The Villages, nor would I want to. I read the book about this development by Andrew Blechman, "Leisureville". It was published in 2009 but I doubt much has changed there since then. He mentioned the restrictions, the "clics" (want to feel like you're back in high school ? That mentality still exists, even into old age), and the gossip - overall it sounded like a nightmare, especially if, as was mentioned, you are not a Conservative politically. And yes, politics DO matter when you live surrounded by people who lean towards the Tea Party - unless you lean that way yourself.
"Leisureville" is available on amazon.com, or possibly through your library. If you are considering moving to The Villages, it would be worthwhile to read it.

[LRG514]

I have to respond to this thread. I lived in the Villages for 5 years, from 2003 to 2008. On the plus side, we had a really beautiful house and, when we moved there, it was relatively well-priced. We actually liked the convenience of nearby shopping, but if you want to really shop, you need to drive to Ocala. You also need to drive to Leesburg or Ocala of you want to work. The sales pitch is that there are lots of jobs, but there aren't and the ones that there are pay about $8 to $10 a hour. I actually started quite a fuss down there because of some of the claims our sales person made about job availability. I was told that they had to take it out of the pitch because of my complaint, but I don't believe it.

We moved there when I was 55 and my husband was 60. We were much too young for the place. I had nothing to talk to anyone about until I threw my back out. Then everyone was happy to share their aches and pains. When we were there, there was an unspoken rule that ambulances did not use sirens because they were afraid that they would scare people off if we knew how many people were taken away.

Health care is a big issue. There is a lovely hospital and I understand that, since we left, they have added a cancer center connected with Moffett in Tampa. However, with this huge population of older folk, there was no heart unit in the hospital. They merely triaged you and sent you elsewhere. When I threw out my back, I had to use family connections to get into the University Hospital in Gainesville to have surgery. The docs in the Villages mostly don't speak very good English and, frankly, aren't very good doctors or they'd b somewhere other than the Villages. In fact, the Gainesville hospital caused my husband's kidneys to collapse by not monitoring meds that he was on. We had to move to NY to get the care he needed (a transplant). His nephrologist in the area told us that, if we wanted him to survive, we needed to get him out of Florida. I maintain that the only qualification for a doctor's license in FL, and especially Central FL, is being able to sign your name. I went for a endoscope, once, and when I got home from the doc's clinic, discovered that I still had a catheter in my arm. That doc was later arrested in NY for drunk and disorderly on a Delta plane and for trying to take a hit on his partner.

I also have to talk about the (lack of) culture in the area. Golf and drinking is what the place is all about. Another sales pitch is that more alcohol is consumed on the property than on all the college campuses in FL. If you want to see a decent show or a museum, you drive 90 miles to Tampa or 70 miles to Orlando. We always said of all of the acts they booked in the venues in the Villages, that it signified that their career was over.

One more thing and then I'll stop. If you hated high school cliques, you will hate the Villages because the friendships there are very clique-y. We went to a Baby Boomers' event once, and it was quite clear that we had been seated at the unpopular kids' table.

We are actually thinking of moving back to Florida, now, but I would not set foot anywhere near the Villages. BTW, did you see the arrest, a couple of weeks ago, for a 60-something woman and a 49 year old man who were having sex in one of the town squares? Yeah, Villages people are pure class.

[SeaLark7]

LRG, thanks for confirming a lot of what "Leisureville" said about the Villages. Another thing I remember reading was how strict the HOA rules are - you could get in trouble if you had a visitor whose car left an oil spot on your driveway ! The whole place sounds like a creepy Stepford for Seniors.

[LRG514]

Do you know what used to drive me nuts, and it was such a little thing. Every Halloween and Christmas, the neighbors would do this thing where they left anonymous gifts on your step, then you had to do, like, 5 more gifts. I hated it but I felt like a bad sport if I broke the "chain." these are a lot of people with very little to do with their lives. Another thing that I will never forgive was, when my husband was so ill and I had to leave in 2 weeks, I begged people to come help me. With the exception of two friends -- one who fed me and one who actually came and helped me pack -- all of the "friendliest people in the world" were too damned busy with their golf times to come and help. I would have to be clubbed over the head to ever go back there.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by SeaLark7

I do not live in The Villages, nor would I want to. I read the book about this development by Andrew Blechman, "Leisureville". It was published in 2009 but I doubt much has changed there since then. He mentioned the restrictions, the "clics" (want to feel like you're back in high school ? That mentality still exists, even into old age), and the gossip - overall it sounded like a nightmare, especially if, as was mentioned, you are not a Conservative politically. And yes, politics DO matter when you live surrounded by people who lean towards the Tea Party - unless you lean that way yourself.
"Leisureville" is available on amazon.com, or possibly through your library. If you are considering moving to The Villages, it would be worthwhile to read it.

Can I assume you feel the same would apply if the place was full of the loony left or are you one sided?

[SeaLark7]

Prius, I would still not like the high school "social mindset" or the gossipy neighbors, regardless of politics, nor the strict HOA rules. The Conservative politics would just be one additional negative to me, but not really the only deciding factor. Your use of the term "loony left" pretty much tells me you would fit right in at the Villages, though.

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by SeaLark7

Prius, I would still not like the high school "social mindset" or the gossipy neighbors, regardless of politics, nor the strict HOA rules. The Conservative politics would just be one additional negative to me, but not really the only deciding factor. Your use of the term "loony left" pretty much tells me you would fit right in at the Villages, though.

Actually, I am unaffiliated. I just take note when people make fun of or insult one side and not the other. Each side thinks there's is normal and correct, but think the other is something awful. Quite comical for those of us in the middle.

[Robyn55]

Originally Posted by LRG514

...We had to move to NY to get the care he needed (a transplant). His nephrologist in the area told us that, if we wanted him to survive, we needed to get him out of Florida. I maintain that the only qualification for a doctor's license in FL, and especially Central FL, is being able to sign your name...

Oh - so you're a super expert on health care in Florida because you moved to one of the cheapest low end retirement middle of nowhere places you can live in in Florida - and probably had the cheapest medical insurance you could buy there?

FWIW - we get excellent medical care at Mayo here in JAX - and there is excellent medical care available in other parts of the state. Cheap? No. Is it worth what we pay for it? Yes. Note that I have a lot of doctors in my family. Some - like a cousin in New York City - go to Mayo Rochester for major health care needs. Robyn

P.S. Most people in their 60's don't need kidney transplants (which is the transplant I assume your husband got). Your husband must have been pretty unhealthy/sick to start with to need one at his age (and moving to the middle of nowhere - which is where The Villages is - is usually not a great idea when someone has medical issues like that). OTOH - if your husband needed a kidney transplant - Mayo JAX is a top transplant center with one of the shortest waiting times in the United States.

[HarryWho?]

Originally Posted by PriusH8r

Can I assume you feel the same would apply if the place was full of the loony left or are you one sided?

Actually, Sealark was very proper in her terminology referring only to Conservatives and the Tea Party by those titles. It's hardly one sided to eschew the extremes of either party. On the other hand "loony left" carries certain connotations...

[The Villages Guy]

Originally Posted by HarryWho?

Actually, Sealark was very proper in her terminology referring only to Conservatives and the Tea Party by those titles. It's hardly one sided to eschew the extremes of either party. On the other hand "loony left" carries certain connotations...

What connotations? Loony left = the extreme side of the left, such as Nancy Pelosi, not just the left.