Sex, drugs and pickleball? TV has it's own documentary. (Palm Springs: house prices, landscaping)

[Yellow Submarine]

Is Dennis still there?

The star of “Some Kind of Heaven” may be Dennis Dean, a smooth-talking 81-year-old playboy and interloper who lives in a blue van that he parks in different spots around the Villages property to avoid detection. He has moved from Palm Springs, Calif., possibly not of his own accord, with an unapologetic goal: To meet and move in with a good-looking woman with money.

Not sure if a direct link will work. Here is the Google search.

https://www.google.com/search?client...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[Ghaati]

Originally Posted by Yellow Submarine

Is Dennis still there?

The star of “Some Kind of Heaven” may be Dennis Dean, a smooth-talking 81-year-old playboy and interloper who lives in a blue van that he parks in different spots around the Villages property to avoid detection. He has moved from Palm Springs, Calif., possibly not of his own accord, with an unapologetic goal: To meet and move in with a good-looking woman with money.

Not sure if a direct link will work. Here is the Google search.

https://www.google.com/search?client...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

The thing is, it's not actually representative of the Villages. That "star" isn't a resident at all. Residents don't live in vans. We have actual houses. That's just a local homeless guy, who has no access to the amenities that residents pay for. You're basically looking at moments at the Town Squares, which are open to the public. And by Public, I mean anyone, from anywhere, including other senior communities, and families living in the towns nearby.

[Yellow Submarine]

What happened with the sink holes? And the lake that drained?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqttwv2DI2c

[David223]

Originally Posted by Yellow Submarine

Is Dennis still there?

The star of “Some Kind of Heaven” may be Dennis Dean, a smooth-talking 81-year-old playboy and interloper who lives in a blue van that he parks in different spots around the Villages property to avoid detection. He has moved from Palm Springs, Calif., possibly not of his own accord, with an unapologetic goal: To meet and move in with a good-looking woman with money.

Not sure if a direct link will work. Here is the Google search.

https://www.google.com/search?client...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

I live in The Villages. Thar story is a crock of bull. The Villages is a great place to live. In my area house prices Start at 250K.

[Toymeister]

Does anyone of average intelligence actually believe that the couple with one spouse who has a conviction of drug possession is representative of The Villages? Or there is a large or even small number of elderly living in their vans in TV?

Seriously, the truth is boring: TV residents chose this community for the activities available and they can afford to live here. Most have life long marriages, they saved their entire lives and sold their home in a higher cost of living state. Some are the retired 'Millionaire next Door” many have a relic of the past, a pension.

There are more females than males, as you would expect in this age group. There is not a ten to one ratio of the sexes. Nor are there large groups of swingers (perhaps some exist in this large population group). There are not any significant numbers of those who did not play by the rules their entire lives. Residents are simply the stereotypical Grandma/pa who like quiet, safe, orderly lives. But that does not sell sensational movies (documentaries).

[Ghaati]

Originally Posted by Toymeister

Does anyone of average intelligence actually believe that the couple with one spouse who has a conviction of drug possession is representative of The Villages? Or there is a large or even small number of elderly living in their vans in TV?

Seriously, the truth is boring: TV residents chose this community for the activities available and they can afford to live here. Most have life long marriages, they saved their entire lives and sold their home in a higher cost of living state. Some are the retired 'Millionaire next Door” many have a relic of the past, a pension.

There are more females than males, as you would expect in this age group. There is not a ten to one ratio of the sexes. Nor are there large groups of swingers (perhaps some exist in this large population group). There are not any significant numbers of those who did not play by the rules their entire lives. Residents are simply the stereotypical Grandma/pa who like quiet, safe, orderly lives. But that does not sell sensational movies (documentaries).

Thanks. Sadly, there are people who will believe the hype. Or they'll believe that there MUST be some truth to the hype, even if it isn't 100% spot on.

Also, being able to afford it isn't that hard to do. If you want a NEW home (built for you, or just recently built in a brand new section), sure it'll cost you over $200k.

But if you just want all the amenities, and prefer mature landscaping, and don't mind a "manufactured" home (which is more of a modular home than a true trailer home), you can get one in decent condition for under $150k. If you're okay with a fixer-upper, you can get one for under $100 and do the renovations/upgrades yourself.

[JohnN]

The "documentary" is all B.S. Nothing you won't find anywhere else, but The Villages is a really nice community - safe, clean, affordable, well-designed and geared towards retirement. Tons of activities and services.

[Ghaati]

Originally Posted by JohnN

The "documentary" is all B.S. Nothing you won't find anywhere else, but The Villages is a really nice community - safe, clean, affordable, well-designed and geared towards retirement. Tons of activities and services.

The documentary is 100% legit. The problem, is that the trailer did the documentary and the Villages a huge disservice. It implies that you're about to watch a movie about the Villages.

But it's not about the Villages.

It's about the trials and tribulations of four elderly people going through their own personal struggles, in an environment that is, for all intents and purposes, a senior nirvana.

The environment really is paradise.

Unless you are experiencing the kind of depression, trauma, or other life-altering situations that these 4 people experience. In those situations, paradise is more of a pressure to conform than a place to enjoy.

Another thing that might have driven the point home more fairly:

An older couple moving to the villages, getting settled in, joining all kinds of clubs, being physically active, living the dream, and then BOOM - one of them has a debilitating illness that puts a stop to ALL of it. One of that happy lifestyle-living couple is now confined to a wheelchair, and the other has to give up most of his activities to stay home and help lift his spouse out of bed, shower her, bring her to the toilet, etc. He can't leave for more than a few hours at a time. Ever again. For the rest of both their lives.

While living in paradise.

This is the gut-wrenching drama I believe the producer was intending to express. That "paradise" is only paradise if you are free to enjoy it as such.