Paradise/Chico - a good place to grow old?

[heartfocus]

I've lived here over a year now and I love it. I feel spoiled!!

[Dean Trails]

Originally Posted by mgforshort

Update on Paradise
Our first visit to Paradise was in 2006. In the following years we visited Medford / Grants Pass in Oregon, Pine/Strawberry/Lakeside in Arizona, then another year Sedona / Flagstaff in Arizona, and Grass Valley/Nevada City/Penn Valley in California.

Wherever we went we always compared it to Paradise, like, yes, it's more romantic, but there is absolutely no shopping, (Pine) or yes, it's great, but the weather is much colder (Grants Pass) or sure, it's adorable, but the traffic is nasty, (Grass Valley) and such.
In 2011, after checking out Penn Valley/ Wildwood Lake we drove again back to Paradise, "the place against which everything else is judged."
We wanted to see if the emperor still had the magic.
There was nothing to compare.
Paradise came out on top. I mean way out on top.
It was like coming home after a long, ugly exile.
And now, back in the OC, surrounded by 11 million people in three counties living wall to wall, bumper to tailgate, we are counting the months until we can retire, sell our place and move to "Paradise, where else?"
Long live the Skyway.

But, i always have to ask. Scenery is wonderful however, what is the medical care like. I am not sure the Paradise area has a Kaiser.

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

But, i always have to ask. Scenery is wonderful however, what is the medical care like. I am not sure the Paradise area has a Kaiser.

Facilities in Roseville, 80 miles and an 1 1/2 hour drive away. Too far for routine frequent care, but manageable for occasional specialized visits.

[mgforshort]

Here are some photos we took in 2011, to prove my point
If only I could master the art of attachments...
The last one with the pool is in Chico, and it's a creek, actually, with free parking to add insult to injury
Come, drive the Skyway

[nmnita]

someone asked about Kaiser, no there isn't one, you have to travel to the Sac area, which has been suggested. Other than that and not everyone has Kaiser, I wouldn't hesitate to live in the Paradise/Chico area. BTW, they do have decent medical facilities, just not Kaiser...If I ever moved backed to Ca, which, at this stage, is very unlikely I would live in Paradise, Chico or someplace like Placerville.

[heartfocus]

Originally Posted by Dean Trails

But, i always have to ask. Scenery is wonderful however, what is the medical care like. I am not sure the Paradise area has a Kaiser.

No, there's no Kaiser here. There's a hospital in Paradise, Oroville, and Chico. Take your pick. They are all small town, nice little rural hospitals. I go to Feather River Health Center for all my medical needs. Its a big building on Skyway in Paradise that's new and really nice. They do referrals to doctors right here in town. I'm getting the best care that I have ever had. But my experience may not be the usual; you'd have to ask more people. I do know that the people with Medi-Cal get great care, here, too, which is more than you can say for some cities.

[mgforshort]

Hi there, HeartFocus!
My wife and I we both have Kaiser. I know there is no Kaiser in the Chico/Paradise area. I wonder how difficult was it for you to be accepted as a new patient on Medicare? I heard stories most doctors are reluctant to accept new patients because the pay and paperwork is not that great. That is our only concern before we move there.

[heartfocus]

Originally Posted by mgforshort

Hi there, HeartFocus!
My wife and I we both have Kaiser. I know there is no Kaiser in the Chico/Paradise area. I wonder how difficult was it for you to be accepted as a new patient on Medicare? I heard stories most doctors are reluctant to accept new patients because the pay and paperwork is not that great. That is our only concern before we move there.

I had no problem at all here, and I'm on both Medicare and Medi-Cal. Its because there are SO many people on those insurances here. The biggest place in town accepts both. Its a nice, newer large building right on the Skyway. (There are a few other, independent, doctors in Paradise, but they mostly do not accept the Medi-Cal).

I have had problems before in other towns with finding health care. For instance, I had to move out of Santa Rosa because I couldn't find ANY doctor to take care of me. They didn't accept Medicare there, and had a crappy clinic for the Medi-Cal patients. I loved Santa Rosa, but was forced to move out because of that.

I have diabetes and also am a mental health consumer, so I need regular care. The mental health care here is available both at Feather River Medical group and at the Paradise treatment center. I've never had options like this anywhere else I have lived!