Hot Springs Arkansas

History
Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas is the only American city set within a national park. Hot Springs' legacy originates from the thermal waters from which it gained its name. The waters bubble forth at 143°F and have been attracting visitors to the area for hundreds of years. Now the thermal water is managed by the National Park Service and used in several area spas, bathhouses, and public fountains. Historic Bathhouse Row, located in downtown Hot Springs, consists of eight turn-of-the century bathhouses. The Buckstaff Bathhouse remains open to the public as a spa, the Fordyce Bathhouse has been converted to a museum, and the remaining bathhouses are in a redevelopment program.

A Great Retirement Value
Hot Springs has long enjoyed popularity as a spa resort, but the low cost of living also makes it of particular interest for retirees, according to geographer Warren Bland. Hot Springs is No. 1 on Bland's list of the top 10 value towns for retirees.

To rank the towns, Bland uses 12 criteria: landscape, climate, quality of life, cost of living, transportation, retail services, health care, community services, cultural activities, recreational activities, work/volunteer activities, and crime. Bland has also authored books on the topic, including, "Retire in Style: 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada."

Hot Springs has a strong economy, excellent healthcare, outstanding public education systems, a low cost of living, and a beautiful and active environment that all combine to make it a great place to live.

Cost of Living
Hot Springs was listed as one of ten least expensive places to live in the United States according to the ACCRA Cost of Living Index. The index calculates the cost of living for 311 urban  areas  across  the  United  States.  According to the report, Hot Springs has the lowest cost of living of all Arkansas metro areas. Hot Springs also is a cost effective destination for business. The employees in the area can enjoy a higher standard of living than they could if given the same wages in more expensive areas.

Tax Rate Information
Arkansas Property taxes are some of the lowest in the U.S..  Arkansans pay less in property taxes than residents of all but four other states and the District of Columbia. This information is according to a report by the Tax Foundation, a non-partisan research group.

Housing
While the entire country is feeling effects of a housing recession, home values in Hot Springs are moving in another direction ... up! Hot Springs is one of the top 25 projected markets in the country for the highest real estate appreciation. Kiplinger's Newletter identified Hot Springs as one of three markets across the country that they predicted would actually defy the national trend and continue to see home values climb. The Housing Predictor - independent real estate market forecasters  -  has issued a report  predicting that home values in Hot Springs should increase by 5.4 percent this year.

Healthcare
Mercy Hospital Hot Springs Arkansas
501-622-1000
300 Werner St.
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913
http://www.mercy.net/hotspringsar

Located approximately one mile from Forest Lakes Garden Homes is Hot Springs' largest health care facility, Mercy Hospital Hot Springs Arkansas. Formerly known as St. Joseph's Mercy Health Center, St. Joseph's was established in 1888 and is a 309-bed general acute care facility located on a 72-acre medical campus. St. Joseph's has received the overall Diamond Award and large-company Gold Award at the 2006 Governors' Family Friendly Employers Award ceremony.

Mercy Hospital Hot Springs Arkansas specialty areas of excellence include: the Heart and Vascular Center, Mercy Cancer Center, Mercy Women's Center, Mercy Diabetes and Wound Center, Outpatient Services Department, Mercy Imaging Center, Rehabilitation Services, Mercy Transitional Care Unit, Orthopedics, Mercy Home Health, Senior Horizons, Mercy Senior and Inpatient Hospice in cooperation with Arkansas Hospice, Inc.  Other services include: Emergency Medicine, Mercy Pain Medicine Consultants, Inc., Neurology Unit, Occupational Health Services, Mercy Home Medical Equipment, Sleep Disorder Lab, Pediatrics, Respitory Medicine, Radiology and American Parkinson Disease  information.  St. Joseph's also offers the community and surrounding areas: the Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center, Lifeline, Mercy Health Foundation, Volunteer Auxillary, Mercy Medical Clinics, along with spiritual and support groups.

National Park Medical Center
501-321-1000
1010 Malvern Ave.
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71901
www.nationalparkmedical.com

National Park Medical Center is a full-service acute care hospital with 166 private beds. They have a physician referral service available 24-hours a day at 1-877-320-3222. The marketing staff is available to provide guided tours of the facility and to answer any questions.

HealthPark
501-520-2000
1636 Higdon Ferry Rd.
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71913
www.healthparkhospital.com

Open since March 2002, HealthPark Hospital has provided Hot Springs with the latest in comfort, convenience, and technology. The facility has 20 inpatient beds, outpatient physical therapy, a wound healing center, two hyperbaric chambers, sleep center, and a state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging center. HealthPark offers a full line of inpatient and outpatient surgeries, many of which are minimally invasive, including, orthopedic, general surgery, urology, gynecology, otolaryngology (ENT) and plastic surgery. HealthPark is located within half a mile of Forest Lakes.

Designed by physicians, HealthPark is noticed by patients to be a more efficient health care facility.  Patient surveys reflect the satisfaction of treatment at HealthPark. Satisfaction surveys are available on-line for review. HealthPark recently completed a new 60,000 sq. ft. medical office building adjacent to the existing hospital facility.

Levi Hospital
501-624-1281
300 Prospect Ave.
Hot Springs, Arkansas 71901

Levi Hospital is a non-profit hospital that has been serving Hot Springs for 89 years. Levi Hospital has the only licensed assisted living facility in Garland County. They also have a long-term care facility and individual homes for independent living. Levi's Adult/Geriatric Psychiatry Unit is one of only six in Arkansas providing inpatient psychiatric care for adult patients. Levi established a hospice service 13 years ago in Garland County and continues that service today.

Levi Hospital also offers outpatient rehab services that include a gym, thermal water pool with physical therapists, and athletic trainers on staff. Patients that are recovering from strokes, surgery, accidents and sports related injuries are treated here along with patients with various diseases, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, lupus, and fibromyalgia.

Recreation
Along with its gently rolling hills, Hot Springs is surrounded by some of the most beautiful, clean lakes and rivers in the nation. With all of its natural beauty, Hot Springs has numerous outlets to experience and enjoy the outdoors including: hiking, biking, camping, fishing, hunting, and every form of watersport. Golf and tennis enthusiasts will enjoy the Hot Springs Country Club, located only 5 1/2 miles from Forest Lakes, and a host of other excellent courses and courts. National Geographic Adventure Magazine has named Hot Springs one of the "Best Adventure Towns in the United States."  Editor Dan Koepple spent months tracking down and compiling a list of this year's top adventure towns. "With an ideal mix of terrain, activity and opportunity, Hot Springs is a place where you can live the adventure daily," states the article.

Forest Lakes is located within minutes of St. Joseph's Memorial Hospital, Hot Springs Mall, Wal-Mart, and many restaurants.