Valentines Work Together At Victorian Village In Homer Glen

HOMER GLEN, IL — This Valentine’s Day, some staff members at Victorian Village, an assisted living and retirement community in Homer Glen, will be celebrating together—at work. That’s because three married couples play key roles there, according to a release from the organization.

It's easy to imagine the difficulties of working with a spouse, but Frank and Neli Guajardo, Sandi and Sieb Visser, and Michael and Trudy Kooy, all married couples who work at Victorian Village, are experts in finding the work-life balance needed to manage work and marriage.

Frank and Neli Guajardo have a rule: They don’t talk about work at the dinner table when they set aside time to enjoy each other and their three children. According to a release from the organization, Frank is the executive director of Victorian Village and Neli is its clinical assessment coordinator.

The Guajardo's other key to success is to act as a support system at work and at home.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic, we have experienced some trying times, so we try to be
cheerleaders for each other,” Neli said in a release.

Sieb and Sandi Visser met when Sandi worked at Park Place of Elmhurst, another Providence Life Services community, which also includes Victorian Village. According to a release from the organization, Sieb is the dedicated technology professional for Providence Life Services, and Sandi is admissions director for Victorian Village Health and Wellness Center. The two work with many of the same people, but in different capacities, so sometimes they enjoy talking about work.

“Still, it is important to set boundaries,” Sandi said in a release. “There are times when it is important NOT to talk about work. Everyone needs a break."

Michael and Trudy Kooy also enjoy working together.

“It’s a delight," Michael said in a release.

Michael is the chaplain at Victorian Village and Trudy is a life enrichment assistant in the skilled nursing care buildings. Recently, Michael visited one of the buildings where she works, not expecting to see her. As he walked in, she was standing in the hall with four residents, who were seated in their doorways. She was reading a meditation he had written.

“It was wonderful to me to see her using a devotion I had written,” he said in a release. “It was so supportive. I turned to one of the nurses standing nearby and said ‘You know, I really like that woman!’”

Victorian Village is located at 12600 Renaissance Circle in Homer Glen.