When they moved to the area 15 years ago, it was the lifestyle that drew them, the prospect of “staying young” and having fun. All it took was a ride around The Villages for Ray and Barbara Burhop to make the move. They chose a courtyard villa, lush with greenery, vibrant potted flowers, crape myrtle, and creeping vines. It’s the ideal place for the two and their terrier, Dexter.
“I can’t think of a better place to live, Barbara said.
The Burhops stay active and enjoy cruising the golf cart paths. Their upgraded life includes an upgraded health plan that supports their goals and consistently exceeds their expectations.
“We had conventional Medicare but eventually found it was more advantageous to have a Medicare Advantage plan,” Ray said. “We get a lot of the services for a lot less than what we were paying. And not only are we getting substantial savings, but we’re getting a substantial increase in the quality of our health care.”
Taking Back Their Time
In addition to golf-cart accessibility, Ray takes advantage of on-site labs. “I’m on a blood thinner that requires me to have my blood checked every 30 days, and it’s just a simple thing for me to get in the golf cart, go down to Colony (Care Center) and get my blood taken. The whole process is just exactly the way you’d like it to be.”
For Ray and Barbara, retirement life is all about ease and autonomy, the ability to plan and manage their days on their terms. “Before we came to The Villages Health, we would go see a physician and routinely wait about 45 minutes. It really gets old when you have to wait so long,” Barbara said.
Ray adds, “If I have an appointment at 9:00, a few minutes before or a few minutes after, I’m being called. It’s a standard experience – how do they do it? I don’t know.”
Once seen, Barbara felt visits with their previous providers were rushed. “They didn’t give us the time,” she said. “But now we’re spoiled. The whole concept is different, and before I had to coordinate, but now I have a team. When you’re our age, you’ve seen a lot of doctors in your lifetime. You’ve been to a lot of offices, but this is really top notch.”
Working together to achieve a common goal—to keep patients healthy and heal them quickly—The Villages Health’s comprehensive care offers the Burhops peace of mind.
Unfortunately, it’s not the right fit for every family member…
As Ray cuddles Dexter on his lap, he states his only grievance. “It’s too bad The Villages Health doesn’t have veterinary care.”