“When you walk into a house and you just know.”
It’s a magical experience that happens when a home buyer finds their forever place. But for Terri Furniss, the feeling came when she stepped into Mulberry Grove Care Center. On a tour of the facility, Terri and her husband Bob had been shopping for new healthcare providers. What they found was a welcoming family of caregivers, a team they could trust, and a place that felt like home.
Now on a sofa in their sunroom, the couple sit hip to hip, chatting, telling stories, and alternately trading jokes for laughter. Humor is their love language. They enjoy their time together, Bob says, as he recounts their traveling adventures.
“We retired early so we could RV across the country to see the National Parks,” he said. “We chose Florida as our homebase.”
After several years of “snowbirding,” the two found a home here in the community. “We love it here, and that’s why we began looking for healthcare.”
Prior to their search, Terri had some must-haves in mind. “Board certified was number one on my list, and I wanted a female (doctor),” she said. “I’ve experienced both men and women and it’s just a personal preference.”
For many patients, board certification brings peace of mind. It’s a distinction earned through advanced training and rigorous testing by a certifying board. But beyond education and expertise, Terri wanted understanding and empathy, a patient-provider connection. “I needed someone who would get it,” she said.
Of the ten locations accessible by golf cart, Terri and Bob found that Mulberry Care Center was the closest to home.
“Angie took us on a tour of the facility, and OMG,” Terri said. “When we went up to the receptionist desk and they told us to go sit in the living room. Where do you hear that?”
The Ideal Ambience
Unlike standard, clinical waiting rooms, The Villages Health welcomes patients into cozy, living rooms where sofas and oversized chairs provide a comfortable ambience.
“We instantly felt relaxed because it’s very nerve-wracking to come to the first visit at a practice,” Terri said. “You don’t know where to go. You don’t know where anything is. You don’t know anyone, and you don’t know if it’s going to be a good fit.”
“I was very impressed,” Bob notes. “Everyone was happy to be there.”
“I’ve never been to a facility in all of our years in Georgia, in Jersey, in Pennsylvania, or anywhere, where we were given a tour of the facility,” Terri adds.
A One-Stop Shop
From that tour to their first visit, The Furnisses found the process simple—from initial paperwork to communicating via the patient portal. “You get responses right away,” Terri said.
Bob was pleased with the comprehensive services, including in-house bloodwork and on-site X-rays. “It’s a one-stop shop,” he said.
From RV traveling to golf-cart explorations, Bob and Terri are leaning into a relaxed lifestyle where everything, even the healthcare, is easy.