Florida
Related: About this forumIn the Villages, America's biggest retirement oasis, the dangers of coronavirus stack up
The Villages built itself into Americas biggest and most famous retirement community by selling the ultimate Florida lifestyle: endless vacation in a warm-weather paradise where you never have to be alone.
But everything that defines the Villages now puts its residents at risk.
If the coronavirus rips through the community, experts say the Villages huge population of highly social seniors could crush the local health care system. Older adults are much more likely to be hospitalized or to die from the virus. If too many people need intensive care, the fear is there will not be the supplies and hospital space needed to save lives. This is already happening in some cities.
In the Villages, nearly 80 percent of residents are over 65.
The community has other factors lined up against it. Its main hospital has been given a rare one-star rating by the federal government and has been criticized by residents for long emergency-room wait times. It sits in a part of the state that Harvard University researchers found would be ill-equipped to handle a large influx of coronavirus patients, based on the number of available hospital beds.
https://www.tampabay.com/special-reports/2020/04/04/in-the-villages-americas-biggest-retirement-oasis-the-dangers-of-coronavirus-stack-up/
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,683 posts)It sounds like one of those places or circumstances where there's a gung-ho, chatty social director and everybody is expected to participate in all the activities and games, no matter how stupid, and you can't fucking get away. Or like a gigantic, never-ending baby shower where you have to play games involving fake baby poo, except everybody is old. I'm old and you couldn't pay me enough to live at The Villages.
Funtatlaguy
(10,870 posts)Baitball Blogger
(46,703 posts)selling in the Villages
COLGATE4
(14,732 posts)are too busy dealing with their patients' STD's.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,683 posts)Do they have an old cowboy, an old policeman, an old Indian, an old GI, an old biker and an old construction worker?
COLGATE4
(14,732 posts)SWBTATTReg
(22,114 posts)do they all still live there despite the long emergency room waits, as well as other things I'm sure that are lacking in the medical systems in FL (that is, if the wait times are long, what other areas are lacking too?).
I still live in my community (and it's not in FL) because I know that the hospitals here are pretty well at the top of their game and that my doctors and medical care are grade A1+. Couldn't ask for better.
beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)because no way Florida healthcare is remotely equipped
SWBTATTReg
(22,114 posts)settle down a bit. I got tons of friends in FL, I worry about them, but so far, most of them are okay. One friend of mine in FL (the Tampa area) got stuck w/ a partial (dental plate) still not attached yet (the dental office closed early due to the CV), and he doesn't have any idea of when they'll get to! Yikes...I hope he's okay...
Take care and be safe!
beachbumbob
(9,263 posts)stay a minute longer in Florida with this going on
CaptainTruth
(6,589 posts)Phoenix61
(17,003 posts)nearby. Shands in Gainesville, Moffitt in Tampa
csziggy
(34,136 posts)It's just that the county The Villages is in was a very poor area before they built the development. Then they have kept property taxes low so services are minimal.
I have little sympathy for most of the residents - they have put themselves in the position to have poor local hospitals even as the county population has risen.
I feel sorry for anyone who bought in not realizing what a GOP hell hole it is and for the locals who stayed because of increased jobs, even though they are all low paid service jobs.
mitch96
(13,895 posts)The last one I worked in was EXCELLENT... Perfect? no... no hospital is. but it was very good. Anytime there was a problem it was addressed and not swept under a rug. They paid well and expected high quality work with the patients best interest and care in mind. The high quality work weeded out the slackers. Lazy or inept people did not last long.. That included MD's and nurses also.. I was only going to stay about a year but It worked out to be 22 years!!
m