Sharing passion projects is an essential ingredient of life at Vi at Palo Alto for resident Jerry Seelig and his wife Lorraine, who have called the Life Plan Community home since 2007.

“We have such an enormous diversity of entertainment and activities here at Vi, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it,” said Jerry.

“At Vi, many of our residents have had distinguished careers and continue to lead very active lives,” said Jessica Bisely, lifestyle manager.

Residents bring these unique experiences and array of interests to the community, contributing directly and indirectly to its thriving spirit. This is especially true of Jerry.

After a notable career as a corporate executive and university professor, Jerry has parlayed his ability to command a room into delivering engaging presentations on topics like artificial intelligence and politics to the Vi current events group. He is an active member of the group, which meets every Monday morning to discuss world news and the hottest headlines.

“Jerry is a very popular presenter because he’s very thorough in his research and he creates opportunities for lively discussion amongst the residents,” said Jessica. Which is why Jessica and the staff at Vi often ask Jerry to act as moderator at special events hosted at the community for residents and guests. Jerry even interviewed fellow resident, Stanford alumnus and former Secretary of Defense William Perry about his book, My Journey at the Nuclear Brink. The success of the event and the friendship that developed between the two led to another event with Jerry at the helm, moderating a discussion at Stanford between Perry, Former Secretary of State George Shultz and Governor Jerry Brown.

That’s not to say all Jerry’s endeavors at Vi have quite such serious subject matter. Creating friendships, bringing residents and neighbors together, and just having fun is at the heart of the community. For Jerry, no group represents this fun factor quite like the ROMEOS. “It stands for retired old men eating out!” Jerry explained. Meeting once a month, the group picks a restaurant in Palo Alto to enjoy an evening of bonding and conversation over a great meal.

Like so many residents at Vi at Palo Alto, Jerry is the type of person who looks for ways to enrich the community he calls home.

Recently, Jerry invited a group of Vi at Palo Alto opera lovers to attend a performance of “La Traviata” at Opera San Jose. During the performance, residents enjoyed a special treat—seeing their neighbors Jerry and Lorraine up on stage. Cast as extras and dressed in a dazzling tuxedo and ball gown, Jerry and Lorraine were right in the center of the action, acting as partygoers and sharing the stage with some of the world’s premier opera singers.

“You get to do everything that the singers do except open your mouth and sing!” said Jerry. Although it’s a thrill to be a part of such a spectacle, the most rewarding part of the experience for Jerry is the cast camaraderie: “Through the rehearsals, you develop friendships with the professional singers.”

Through the artistic friendships he developed, Jerry has been able to share his passion for music and performance within the community too. Every year, he arranges for Opera San Jose singers to come to the community for an evening of arias, opera songs, and learning.

“It’s a way that I can give back and share,” said Jerry.

And each year, unsurprisingly, the event has become more and more popular at Vi at Palo Alto, whose active, thriving community is always looking for new ways to participate, engaged with each other and contribute. Vi at Palo Alto is an ideal location for arts exploration. With easy access to San Francisco, our Life Plan Community residents enjoy world-class art, music and local culture.

Discover our full range of services and amenities or request a brochure.