Residents of The Villages are, of course, sexually active, said Dr. Marivic Villa, an internist who runs a health clinic in the retirement community. Compared to Florida overall, however, the three counties containing The Villages tended to have significantly lower rates. Another reason for the high STD rate in the villages is that there is a lot of unprotected sex taking place. of Health. I do know t, andyetitmoves10: @TPostMillennial Common infections that can spread by huma, STD Capital Of America Rumored To Be In Florida Neighborhood, Gun violence high in NJ, but each city may need different answer, Herpes diagnoses for 2 more office workers after infected janitor urinated , @usmissionuganda: Over 36% of Ugandans with HIV reported it difficult to di, @HIVGov: On #ZeroDiscriminationDay, take a moment to educate yourself &, @socialworkrants: Hi, Im Basiliso aka Bas, LMSW in Delaware. Orlando came in at No. While there is no reported number of STD cases specifically from the Villages, the three Florida counties containing the Villages actually have lower STD rates than other Florida counties. They may be embarrassed or scared but its important to remember that getting tested and treated is the best way to protect both of you. New York, and Maryland saw the highest instance of STIs among populations 55 and older with an average STI rate per 100,000 at 881.8, 236.2, and 172.7 respectively. Without exception, every person Ive told I bought a house in The Villages has asked the same thing, Lafferty said. And some retirees quickly rethought plans about where to spend the best years of their lives. Early Retirement Can Be Hazardous to Your Health. There was a heightened awareness of the possibility of promiscuity in The Villages and the story spread like wildfire. Answer: If you test positive for an STD your healthcare provider will work with you to develop a treatment plan. FOX 35 Orlando. Compared to Florida overall, however, the three counties containing The Villages tended to have significantly lower rates. This really has nothing to do with concern about high STD rates it has to do with old people having sex, he said. } "First we must look at the population," says Dale Harrison the Regional STD Program Manager of The Florida Department of Health-Leon County. Florida Counties by STD Rate: Total Gonorrhea, Chlamydia & Infectious Syphilis, 2015 * - Indicates the county rate is statistically significantly different from the statewide rate. Notoriously averse to media interviews, Morse and The Villages community relations team did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Heres where to do it and what you need, Rays Shane McClanahan already hitting upper 90s nice to see. The Villages was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States over the past decade, a surge in population so large that it helped pull Florida's population center back to the . Old People. 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A19. 14,680. Low 63F. Since then many people, especially those who live in and/or promote The Villages, have done their best to set the record straight. By using this site, you agree to the But perhaps no myth is more ubiquitous or more enduring than the idea of rampant rates of sexually transmitted diseases. Why arent they opening the movie theaters? Take a relaxing stroll through Aiken's tree-lined Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is a new, gated 55+ community in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area. Others believe it began with a joke on a radio station. The mind fuckery, gaslighting, abuse. Rumors abound about how the STD rumor started. The Seniors Health article also said that the majority of people living in The Villages wouldnt be affected by STDs even if an issue existed in the first place. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Its no secret that The Villages have been a breeding ground for swingers. Statistics from the Florida Department of Health seemed to support the doctor's claim, as the rate of syphilis and gonorrhea cases in the tri-county area had remained steady from 2000 to 2004. Today, the Villages isn't so much a retirement community as an empire, a collection of dozens of neighborhoods covering more than 32 square miles spread over three counties, with the bulk in . Your email address will not be published. Answer: Some STDs can be cured with medication but others (like HIV) can only be managed with treatment. One reason is that the villages are a popular tourist destination. ", Copyright 2021 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Villages is a "city" of 100,000+ people with all of the goods and services you'll need located within its borders. We're having Syphilis up 52%. They do a lot but not to the point that theres STDs left and right and all over the place.. Subscribe to our free DayStarter newsletter. @media screen and (min-width: 769px) and (max-width: 992px) { All of them are tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Residents hear the joke all too often. } I think theres a little bit of jealousy from the outside, said Christine Wynne, a 50-year-old resident. The Villages is America's premier Active Adult Retirement Community located in sunny central Florida. Copyright 2018 55places.com, a division of Neighborhoods.com. Similarly for rates of chlamydia, the overall rate for Florida is 525.5 while Leon Countys is 1147 and Sumters 157. campus, but for seniors. Old People. In 2008, author Andrew D. Blechman released a book called Leisureville that told sordid tales of nightlife in The Villages. We have the largest Democratic Club in the entire State of Florida (by A LOT) and that is where you will make your friends. Highest rates. Its an easy headline. RSS feed for comments on this post. Covering an area larger than Manhattan, The Villages spans three Florida counties Sumter, Marion and Lake. . I hadn't even thought about this!! His 30-year-old daughter in Boston called to express concern. The county we live in and share, Sumter county, is unfortunately in love with The Villages, and rightfully so given the amount of money that flows through that place. They do a lot but not to the point that theres STDs left and right and all over the place.. This may include medication lifestyle changes or both. Many of her patients come seeking testosterone therapy to improve their sex lives. Welcome to The Villages. STDs. Similarly for rates of chlamydia, the overall rate for Florida is 525.5 while Leon Countys is 1147 and Sumters 157. The high STD rate in the villages is a cause for concern. The city had 1,502 STD cases reported per 100,000. Villages lore has it that many area residents hook up while at various events in the community, including during a night out on one of the town squares. Residents of The Villages are, of course, sexually active, said Dr. Marivic Villa, an internist who runs a health clinic in the retirement community. A Reddit thread from three years ago posted a helpful guide called Loofah Code as to what each color loofah represents. Always go to the source like the FL Dept. A Facebook group called The Villages Word of Mouth is filled with stories from the infamous retirement community. But most trace it to a 2006 television news story Doctors in Retirement Community Seeing Increase in STDs.. While as in any county one can find cases of STDs, The Villages is in no way a top place for sexually transmitted diseases. When barriers to health care are high, so are rates of sexually transmitted diseases, studies show. All Rights Reserved. The Villages, outside Orlando, Florida are manufactured to be a retirement fantasyland. . Requested URL: www.55places.com/blog/10-major-myths-rumors-about-the-villages, User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 15_5 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) CriOS/103.0.5060.63 Mobile/15E148 Safari/604.1. But that isnt the case. Where did this pervasive legend start? The largest gated retirement community in the United States stretches across three zip codes, 32 miles, and is home to (as of 2017) 115,000 residents, all of them ages 55 and up. Our site uses cookies. 61 among the top 100 U.S. cities with the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases. My stepmom begged a local group to let me into the adults-only class, and armed with a 35 mm disposable camera, I started my journey toward multimedia journalism. Half of all infections are among people 15 to 24. TIL that Outback Steakhouse was founded in Tampa, FL by four Americans who had never visited Australia. Roy Rowlett wrote: It doesnt matter what the truth is. Give us a few moments to clear this up. People who are older are just people who are older. As talk of Blechmans book circulated throughout the community and Villagers made a run on local bookstores to get a copy, the second whammy came to life. Rank: County: Count: Denom: Rate: 1: Leon: 3,873: 284,739: 2: Alachua: 2,792: 253,751: 3: . Gonorrhea Instances 4,971. . Suddenly, adult children were calling their parents to find out what was going on. THE VILLAGES, Fla. Friends up north and across Tampa Bay snickered when Brian Lafferty revealed where hed bought a new home. 26,316. This story has been shared 101,193 times. The Villages, Florida was nominated as a Geography and places good article, but it did not meet the good article criteria at the time (February 9, 2022). you can anticipate to spend between $807 and $1,262 per month to live in The Villages, Florida, depending on your home choice and the associated fees. I feel like I have to justify to every single person I know that I didnt buy this place to chase women, said Lafferty, who is 69 and single. The myth snowballed from there. Florida now ranks 6th in rates of P&S syphilis among 50 states. Dave, who refused to give his real name, bragged about his sexual escapades with women in their 70s. Syphilis Rates in Florida. Blechman, the author of Leisureville, suspected ageism plays a role. Read his Letter to the Editor. Blechman, the author of Leisureville, suspected ageism plays a role. Florida tracks sexually transmitted diseases by county of residence. Im embarrassed to get tested for STDs. All the retirees drive similar cars and old gran cant go around the whole parking lot looking for her car. . The Villages, a mammoth retirement community that was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the nation two years ago, is no stranger to folklore. It wasnt long before crews from Orlando television stations descended on the community and the story became even more legendary. Want more of our free, weekly newslettersinyourinbox? Itll never go away.. Others believe it began with a joke on a radio station. It had legs, said Andrew Blechman, author of Leisureville: Adventures in a World Without Children, a 2009 book on life in The Villages that is referenced in almost all coverage of this issue. Fv 27, 2023 . Loofah sponges may clean your body but theyre apparently a sexy sign that people are getting down and dirty. All Rights Reserved. And it pointed out that with 80,000 residents in the community at the time, it should come as no surprise that a certain percentage would be interested in things like alcohol and sex. This story has been shared 126,770 times. Add Your Community | What should I do. Many of her patients come seeking testosterone therapy to improve their sex lives. Answer: Remember that getting tested is the only way to know for sure if you have an STD. It looks that way to me. And the percentage of older adults living in poverty is slightly lower than the national rate, suggesting its retirees may have better access to health care than the country as a whole. People just want to paint the picture that old people here are like young people in New Orleans. It may be older news, but the story behind The Villages Florida STD scandal still continues. Florida identified 4,584 new HIV diagnoses, according to the most recent data available from the federal agency's HIV . But rumors travel fast in communities with shared values and histories. You should also take precautions to protect yourself from STDs. Press | WUSF 89.7 depends on donors for the funding it takes to provide you the most trusted source of news and information here in town, across our state, and around the world. Mouseover on map to see county name and value. Florida tracks sexually transmitted diseases by county of residence. Reviews | But rumors travel fast in communities with shared values and histories. Please share your thoughts in the Comments section below. Discovered on: 2022-08-20 15:38:49 People who are older are just people who are older. A Tampa Bay Times inquiry on the 38,000-member Facebook group, The Villages Word of Mouth, was revealing. There were 507 cases of HIV reported. Florida Department of Health in Lake County Address: 2113 West Griffin Road Leesburg, FL 34748 Number: (352) 360-6548. Sometimes, they cited data about the states rising rates of sexually transmitted infections among seniors as proof that the same held true in The Villages. This is especially true of young people who are not using condoms. "Innerbody.coms research team analyzed the latest statistics on a city-by-city basis and developed our list of the top 100 cities with the highest STD rates along with key trends," the study said. Annually the Florida Department of Health provides the federal government with statistical data collected though out our state in regards to sexually transmitted diseases and treatment. Partly cloudy skies early with heavy thunderstorms developing overnight. "I do believe The Villages area is in line with the rest of the state," Willis says. And they should be treated with respect, not as a caricature.. How Will Social Security and Medicare Survive in the New Congress? If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. The Villages, over the past few decades, has made a name for itself for several reasons (it's even the topic of a recent documentary, Some . Neither story had anything to do with STDs. .kxikc63ffb4b933c33 { Everyone chuckles and they move on. Tallahassee, Fort Lauderdale, and . Area with highest STD rate in every state. While as in any county one can find cases of STDs, The Villages is in no way a top place for sexually transmitted diseases. My friends who live in the community tell me this rumor is nothing more than an urban myth. WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7 | With all the publicity it received, how much of it is actually true? Rates of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia among people 55 and older have slightly trended upwards in these counties since 2006, the year the myth about The Villages is believed to have begun. Purple is for those who like to watch. Many Villagers agreed, noting theyve never heard the myth from someone living in the community. Some people love gossip about old people and sex.. Daniel Semenza, assistant professor at, HOUSTON More charges have been filed against a janitor who told investigators that his sickness led him to commit reprehensible and unspeakable acts against employees at a doctors office, John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, the more truths that come out the more cowardly he becomes he harasses tries to intimidate or has someone do, Greg Snyder https://www.echovita.com/us/obituaries/pa/bristol/gregory-stephen-snyder-13533191, Just disclaimer: He is a narcissist. Since then many people, especially those who live in and/or promote The Villages, have done their best to set the record straight. Florida is one of the top five states in the country when it comes to the prevalence of sexually transmitted illnesses among older persons. My doctor in Ohio even, when he asked where we spend time in Florida, stated Oh, The Villages the highest STD rate in the country, wrote Jan Schweitzer on the post. For questions, requests and comments, contact the STD section at: 850-245-4303 DCHP.STD.Feedback@flhealth.gov Fax. That contrasts with Leon County, home to the capitol and Florida State U., where the rate is 370. And he accompanies Mr. Rates of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases gonorrhea, syphilis and chlamydia among people 55 and older have slightly trended upwards in these counties since 2006, the year the myth about The . Itll never go away.. The same patterns emerged for diagnoses of human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV, among Floridas older adults. Its irresistible no one wants to think about their parents having sex, but they love news articles about old people having sex. We go there a lot to eat or see a movie. His 30-year-old daughter in Boston called to express concern. The Villages has often declined to comment on rumors, but the reports have circulated in local and national media for years. People who are older are just people who are older. The Villages is rocking out with their loofahs out! one commenter quipped. Despite a 14-year-old urban legend that won't go away, The Villages didn't make the list of the worst cities for sexually transmitted diseases.. That distinction belongs to Baltimore, Maryland - the 26th largest city in the United States with a population of about 602,495 - which had the highest per capita rate with 2,004 cases reported per 100,000 residents, according to statistics . Residents hear the joke all too often. In fact, looking at statistics from the Florida Department of Health, it is at the bottom for cases per 100,000 residents. The central Florida retirement community was the fastest growing metropolitan area in the nation just a couple, Theyre called survivor cities places where residents may not yet have been personally touched by gun violence but the threat continually remains that they might. Dont change the dress code at golf courses, Immediate attention needed at Palmetto Executive Golf Course, Alligator Sunning In The Village Of Pine Ridge, Great Horned Owl And Owlet At Briarwood Executive Golf Course, Carolina Chickadee Building Nest In The Villages, Bald Eagle Bringing Breakfast To Nest At Briarwood Executive Golf Course, Anhinga Catching Dinner At Saddlebrook Executive Golf Course. Highest rates. Its an easy headline. Marion and Lake bore similar trends. And if you do have an STD the sooner you get treated the better. The Villages, a mammoth retirement community that was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the nation two years ago, is no stranger to folklore. The Truth Behind the Urban Legend .For more data, I just moved here now I know where Im going to apply to to work LOL. Nonsense, Castor says. I bought it because I want to play golf.. CVS MinuteClinic Address: 5208 East County Road 466 The Villages, FL 32162 Number: (866) 389-2727. The 10 cities with the highest STD rates per 100,000 people, . Do you have any other pet urban legends that should be dispelled? The year was 2006 and a Villages gynecologist was about to make a serious dent in the image of Floridas Friendliest Hometown one that wasnt going to be welcomed with open arms. Over 18 of the 27-hole course provides elevated scenery at the highest points of Sumter County. Find out where the highest rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia are in each state. The Villages Florida reviews like this guide present . .kxikc63ffb4b933c33 { This really has nothing to do with concern about high STD rates it has to do with old people having sex, he said. . Join Us | His 30-year-old daughter in Boston called to express concern. . For the next couple of years, the shady talk of rampant sexually transmitted diseases continued. One of the pervasive characteristics of sexually transmitted infections is that people turn them into a punchline, Finley said. In fact, about 30% of all cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and primary and secondary syphilis were among non . Directors. Its irresistible no one wants to think about their parents having sex, but they love news articles about old people having sex. And he spoke with a woman who was balancing a pencil between her breasts that claimed to work for a local medical center where cases of STDs were out of control. Answer: Theres no reason to be embarrassed about getting tested for STDs. The Villages in Florida is the world's largest retirement community and has been dubbed 'the Disney World for old people', but the antics of the residents who should know better would make Mickey . 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