There is no place like home.
For Georgie Hicks, that means pulling into the parking lot of Hope Senior Apartments after a long day of work and knowing that people inside are waiting to greet her with a smile.
‘It’s a wonderful place to live,? said Hicks. ‘I’ve made a lot of friends and I’m within walking distance of (some) my children and the rest of them are in the area,? she added.
For Hicks, it was the convenience of where the apartments were located that was one of the biggest factors in her decision to move back to Oxford after spending 15 years in an apartment complex in Rochester Hills. She moved to Oxford in 1974, where she raised five children who went on to graduate from Oxford High School .
When she turned 62 back in 2007, the age required to move into Hope, she made no hesitation about relocating.
‘I always wanted to live closer because I was babysitting and watching my grandchildren here, but I wasn’t quite old enough to come into Hope,? she said.
She added that being close has its benefits. She said that the other day when she was figuring out what to have for dinner, her daughter called and said that she should come over and eat with them. So she got into her car and drove down the street and ate dinner with her family that evening.
Hicks said that the well-maintained grounds and building was a huge factor for her. What made the choice even easier is what happened when she stepped inside the apartment buildings.
‘The first time I walked in everybody was so friendly and so nice. The entranceway was very clean and I was greeted by the manager, who is very, very nice. And I was within walking distance of my children,? she said.
The closeness to her family has made her relationship with her grandchildren even more special. She stated that she loves seeing two of her grandchildren nearly every day.
‘We have an unusual, unique relationship,? Hicks said about her grandchildren. ‘My 17-year-old granddaughter spent her day off driving me to doctors without complaint. All she said was what a great day we had, Grandma,? Hicks said. ‘There’s not many 17-year-olds who would want to spend the day with their grandma. I feel very fortunate,? she added.
‘It’s all about family for me. My family is very important,? she said.
When she is not spending time with her family, she enjoys the company of the many residents. She said that she knows and says hi to a lot of them and doesn’t have any negative things to say about them. Over the last three years she’s made about 25-30 friends at the apartment complex.
‘We play bingo, put puzzles together and play rummy together,? she said. ‘I’ve never had a cross word with them.?
She added that it is hard for her to do a lot of the activities since she works, but she always manages to go downstairs and talk to residents before heading upstairs for the evening.
She sees many differences between her old apartment complex in Rochester and Hope Senior. In Rochester, she would walk right out to her car since there wasn’t a common area. She also just paid her rent without getting to know her manager.
‘Here I walk past the manager’s office and I am always greeted with a smile and a hi, how are you today.?
‘Living here has been a blessing,? Hicks said. ‘It’s just so wonderful to have a place that is so close to family.?