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Vi announced that its 10 communities and corporate headquarters in Chicago have been certified as great workplaces by Great Place to Work®.

American figure skater and Olympic medalist, Jason Brown, paid a visit to his grandparents, Bill Brown and Hope Bernstein, both residents of Vi at The Glen.

One of the first couples to move into Vi at The Glen will help the senior living community celebrate 20 years of operation on August 11, 2022. Jim & Dolores Conway will join nearly 300 of their neighbors, and executives from Vi’s corporate office in nearby Chicago, for an outdoor summer cocktail party to mark the milestone.

In Henry Schwenk’s seven years as a resident of Vi at The Glen, he’s left an indelible mark on the community as their trivia master for nearly the same length of time. “I read three newspapers a day and I get ideas. My mind is tuned to trivia,” Henry said, “And when I have dinner with people, which is every night or lunch, I’m listening."

Dinah Jacobs, 74, and Larry Castle, 78, connected during the pandemic on JDate.com. Their courtship began while she stood on her villa’s front porch and he talked to her from the sidewalk. Six months later, Larry proposed. The couple made it official in June 2021 at Northbrook Community Synagogue, followed by dinner and a reception at Vi at The Glen.

Vi at The Glen registered nurse Marissa Salvaleon has been named one of Crain’s Chicago Business’ 2021 “Notable Healthcare Heroes.” The Crain’s list celebrates Chicago-area doctors, nurses, EMTs and home health care providers who have served tirelessly on the front lines of the pandemic over the last year.

The Lifestyle Department at Vi at The Glen has always sought to help residents connect with each other and to discover new passions and hobbies in retirement. However, just like the rest of the world, we had to adapt to a new normal as stay-at-home orders continued across the country. With the help of staff members across all teams, the department jumped into action to find creative ways to bring the sense of community and connection to the residents. Discover just a few of the ways that staff members keep residents engaged and connected while keeping them safely apart.

Vi President and CEO Randy Richardson has signed on to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion™ commitment. Recognizing that change starts at the executive level, Richardson joins over 1,600 CEOs of the world’s leading companies and business organizations in leveraging their individual and collective voices to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. 

Is life at Vi a little different these days? Indeed it is. Even so, our residents tell us they can’t think of a place they would rather call home. Every day brings new opportunities to grow, experiences to look forward to and countless ways to live well.

In all Vi communities, our dedication to the well-being of our residents remains our priority. Today, even amidst the new normal of the protocols established due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Vi team members are finding creative ways to care for the physical, mental and spiritual health of their communities.

Vi, along with leading companies such as Amazon, CVS, Walgreens and more, has established partnerships with leading hospitality companies Hilton and Hyatt to provide much-needed job opportunities to workers who have experienced layoffs or been furloughed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a part of Vi at The Glen’s $6.1 million remodel, all three of the Life Plan Community’s restaurants will be renovated to delight the senses and please the palate. Beautiful backdrops and all-new menus will combine to create a Chicago-caliber dining experience for residents’ mere steps from their front door.

Leading national developer, owner and operator of high-end continuing care retirement communities Vi has won the 2019 ICAA NuStep Beacon Award, honoring the “Top 25 'Best in Wellness' senior living communities in North America.

Every Tuesday evening at Vi at The Glen, 20 residents gather for an evening of harmony and camaraderie at the community’s chorus rehearsal.

Jose Luna, executive chef at Vi at The Glen, grew up in a family of restaurateurs: His grandmother owned a restaurant, and his mother worked in food service, too. Like many children, he dreamed of becoming a fireman or a doctor – until he got his first taste of working in a restaurant.

Wine has long been a staple in Vi’s food and beverage program. But until 2016, offering a wine that’s unique to Vi was a new concept.

Michael Beltran, Vi at The Glen’s pastry chef, has always enjoyed travel and entertaining, so it was only natural for him to pursue degrees in hospitality and cooking. Upon graduation, he worked as sous chef at Dean Witter in Riverwoods, Ill. for a year. It was there his love of pastries took root.

Vi is proud to announce that it has been selected as one of the Chicago Tribune Top 100 Workplaces for the third year in a row.

Resident artists at Vi at The Glen come from a variety of backgrounds. Some have recently come to art as a way to express themselves while others had put art aside long ago to raise families, and pursue careers. But at Vi at The Glen, many of these artists have rejoined the visual arts thanks to the community’s vibrant art studio, and burgeoning art classes.

Cecile Kraus devoted her career to teaching others to read. But it wasn't until she moved to Vi at The Glen with her husband that Kraus immersed herself in literature. Now, she leads the short story discussion group at the community.

Executive Chef Jose Luna is in charge of managing menu creation and food prep for residents, as well as managing the overall culinary experience for residents. With more than 30 years of experience in the industry, he's well versed in using fresh, local ingredients. Here, we ask the Chef to tell us a little bit more about himself.