Quiet Presence, Lasting Impact: How Chaplains Support Everyday Life at Vivie

At Vivie, spiritual care isn’t always dramatic. Often, it’s just someone sitting quietly, listening without judgment. Sometimes, it’s helping a person wrestle with the big questions.

Spiritual life at Vivie is about being seen and supported—especially when life gets hard. Our chaplains don’t just show up for special occasions. They’re part of the everyday rhythm of life at Vivie, offering comfort, connection, and companionship in ways that may not always get attention—but always make a difference.

Chaplain Grace Koleczek puts it this way: “A big need within spiritual care that I see in our residents is connection—loneliness and grief, stemming from all sorts of life experiences—and chaplains are trained to be a part of healing through compassionate, purposeful connection.”

That connection can look different depending on the day, the person, or the season of life—but it always starts with presence.

A steady presence when grief arrives.

Grace recalls supporting a woman whose husband passed away unexpectedly. The loss was traumatic, both for her and for their family. Grace offered emotional and spiritual support in those early days, then presided at the funeral.

But her role didn’t end there. She continued visiting the woman regularly, supporting her not only through grief but through her own health challenges. Over time, Grace also built a connection with the woman’s family—something that’s become a source of mutual comfort.

Supporting each person’s faith journey.

In other cases, spiritual support becomes a path for renewal. One resident, who was facing health issues, began attending Grace’s weekly spiritual life activities. As his physical health improved, so did his desire for spiritual connection. He started inviting others to join him, becoming a quiet encourager among his neighbors.

He enjoys one-on-one visits, too, and his family says he always makes a point to share when the chaplain has come by. For him, the ability to ask spiritual questions in a space where they’re received with openness has become a source of strength.

A comforting presence in life’s final hours.

Sometimes, spiritual care enters a moment that’s both sacred and urgent. When one resident, nearing the end of life, began speaking about “visions,” a team member asked Grace to check in. In their conversation, he shared what he’d been seeing—and how those visions brought him peace, a sense that he was being called to heaven.

As they talked, he also mentioned physical symptoms he hadn’t shared with anyone. Grace gently passed that to the care team, who acted to relieve the symptoms. Because of that visit, the resident was able to stay comfortable in his final hours—spiritually at ease and physically supported.

Spiritual support that meets the moment.

Spiritual care at Vivie meets people where they are—across traditions and beliefs. During the Jewish High Holidays, Chaplain Katie Chatelaine-Samsen helped a resident by coordinating with her rabbi so she could attend services virtually. Katie’s support ensured the resident could stay connected to a faith tradition that mattered deeply to her.

What ties these stories together is the steady presence of someone trained to sit in uncertainty, to listen with empathy, and to offer care that meets people where they are.

At Vivie, we believe spiritual support is a vital part of whole-person care. It’s not about having all the answers. It’s about creating space for people to reflect, connect, and find peace—in their own way, in their own time. And that kind of care makes all the difference.