I'll be checking out Crete, any insights ?

Hi, I'm moving to Greece as soon as everything falls into place for me  I am going to be 70 in June so I don’t feel that it would be a good idea to move to a small island even though that would be the dream.  I’m moving to the Peloponnese nearer to hospitals and more available healthcare. 

@Pam Wilkinson Hi - I just turned 60 and am also planning to live in Greece. The mainland is a smart idea - what about the larger islands that hopefully still have good health care and airports - Rhodes, Crete, Lesvos?

@GlobeTrotter427 I’ve considered the larger islands but for convenience, I’m sticking withe Peloponnese  I can still visit the islands. 🌞😊

@GlobeTrotter427Hi,I have lived in Greece for many long years and had a million health/medical procedures,you say...are they still good,they never were good,the staff were and are good,they try but like all the planet state health is being squeezed until it or the patients die.If you live on any island you must expect that in the winter a helicopter which may be needed to get you to the mainland to save your life cannot fly in bad weather conditions and you will most likely not make it.The more touristy islands have been promised  medical staff in lovely new build centres BUT affordable housing cannot be found for them,two thousand for a room is not affordable,thus the new centres collect only the hot summer sun.I wont go into the horror stories I have heard of some islands or most having only one paramedic ambulance(Lesvos) which must choose the motorbike accident(young guy) or the older man with a heart attack,the young man could not be saved,they were too late for the older man,another true story,a cruise ship passenger very sick,ship makes an emergency docking at an island,no ambulance available,stops at 9pm,someone loads her onto their truck who saw the chaos and attempts to drive her to the distant health centre,sadly the lady died on the way,there are many of these stories and never live too far from a town where all your needs can be met,expats in France have been beguiled by quiet green lush rolling hills only to sell up five or less years on,finding "remote"rather scary.Lonely is a word that creeps in.There is no social care in Greece,theres no"Meals on Wheels'driving to you every day,checking on you bringing your precooked dinner when you are OLD so,think not twice ten times about where you will settle down.

Great advice!

@concertina

Great advice!!! And a real one!!!

No meals on wheels in UK either.

@afox3122I showed my age afox31221,Oh dear,the good old days have long since passed,but I did see on line a couple moved to france and they showed a nice village and said,look, ,thats the post office but is also a kind of community care place,you give them 20 euro each month and they come around to your house regularly to check on you and deliver food if you are old,house bound etc...and the local tabac shop,like a corner shop has pots and pans,bits and pieces for sale,tables for coffee,fruit and veg,how lush,,Im thinking to emigrate there.

@concertina

Maybe in the small communities is still happen this, especially in small villages from the north or Midi or in some from South...but I don't know till then...there will be no longer money to the administration of the villages for this, unfortunately...

@aramisy2k2I think its not only about money,its the will of the people in the communities,the word..".voluntary" is a dirty word here,without money?they say,thats when I end the conversation as it can only lead to an argument.

Hello everyone,

Please note that I have created this new thread from your posts on the Greece forum so that you can better share your experience.

Thank you

Bhavna

Please share your experiences.   We are US ex pats who have lived in Bulgaria for 10 years.   We have refined our search to Crete and the coastal area of Athens.  Cost is a consideration.   I like golf and sea activities.  My wife still practices medicine and can easily transfer her credentials. 

UP

Hello, thanks for having accepted us.

we are Florence & Pierre-Yves from france (Bretagne)

we discover Crete 18 years ago and went each year since for holidays.

now has young retired, we want to move in Crete definitively so we have bought a plot in DRAMIA close to Georgioupolis to build our house.

We have plenty of different questions and i think this forum is th good one to exchange.

have a good day

Pierre-Yves