Clinically Grounded Senior Living Across 12 States
Founded in 2021 by healthcare professionals, Viva Senior Living has grown from a startup into one of the fastest-growing senior living operators in the eastern and midwestern United States. Headquartered in New York City, Viva Senior Living operates and manages approximately 45 communities across Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia, offering assisted living, memory care, independent living, respite stays, and adult day services.
Viva's founding premise is direct: the right senior living community can bring out the best in each resident every day. The company's operating philosophy, "Healthy Organizations. Healthy Communities. Healthy Residents," reflects a belief that delivering exceptional resident care starts with organizational strength, including trained staff, strong leadership, and clear operational systems. The Viva portfolio includes both communities operating under the Viva brand and communities managed under independently branded names for partner ownership groups.
To explore individual communities, visit the Viva Senior Living listings on Senior Care Finder.
Company at a Glance
- Headquarters: New York, NY
- Founded: 2021
- Chief Executive Officer: Christopher Metternich
- Managing Partners: Michael Jacobs, Joshua Jacobs
- Portfolio (as of August 2026): Approximately 45 communities; portfolio is actively growing
- States served: Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
- Care options: Assisted living, personal care, memory care, independent living, respite stays, adult day services
- Official website: vivaseniorliving.com
Senior Living and Care Options
Viva communities serve a range of needs, and the specific services available depend on each location.
Assisted Living and Personal Care
Most Viva communities offer assisted living (referred to as personal care in Pennsylvania and South Carolina), supporting residents who need help with daily activities while maintaining an active lifestyle.
Memory Care
Viva places significant emphasis on memory care. Available at many communities across the portfolio, memory care programming at Viva is evidence-based, delivered by specially trained caregivers, and organized around calming routines and smaller-scale dedicated living sections designed for residents with Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia.
Independent Living
A growing number of Viva communities offer independent living for seniors who want a maintenance-free lifestyle with access to on-site dining, amenities, and social programming.
Respite Stays
Short-term respite stays are available at select Viva locations, providing care support during a caregiver's absence or a resident's recovery period.
Adult Day Services
Adult day programs, providing structured daytime programming for older adults living at home, are offered at select Viva communities.
Services, amenities, availability, and pricing vary by location. Families should confirm the specific care options at each community they are considering.
What Makes Viva Senior Living Different?
Founded by Healthcare Professionals with a Clinical Mission
Viva Senior Living was built from the ground up by healthcare professionals, and that origin has shaped every part of its operating model. The company treats all staff across every care setting as active participants in the caregiving and clinical continuum, not only licensed nurses or care managers. Since 2020, Viva has invested in staffing structures and training protocols that align more closely with skilled nursing approaches than with traditional assisted living models. According to Senior Housing News, Metternich has described Viva's ambition as clinically bringing to assisted living what has historically been reserved for higher-acuity settings. This philosophy drives hiring, onboarding, and staff development across the portfolio.
A Comprehensive Management and Operations Platform
Viva operates as both a direct operator and a third-party management company. Its professional services division offers full-service operations and management, white-label management for ownership groups that prefer to retain an independent brand, interim leadership during transitions, start-up support for new developments, and targeted consulting across clinical, financial, marketing, and human resources functions. Several communities in the Viva portfolio operate under independently branded names, including Oak Pointe communities in Missouri and Riverstone Senior Living communities in Virginia, all led by Viva's operational team. This model has made Viva an attractive partner for family offices and institutional investors deploying capital into senior housing.
Evidence-Based Memory Care Programming
Across memory care-designated communities, Viva provides dedicated, smaller-scale living sections designed specifically for residents with cognitive impairments. Caregivers in these settings receive specialized training, and daily programming is built around evidence-based activities and calming routines. Viva's clinical care model includes proactive medical oversight to ensure that residents' health needs are addressed before issues escalate, giving families a clearer picture of their loved one's condition and day-to-day well-being.
An Aging-in-Place Operating Philosophy
Viva's strategic direction is explicitly oriented toward helping residents remain in their community as their needs change, rather than requiring a move to a different care setting. This means expanding clinical capabilities within existing communities, building out regional care coordination, and aligning programming and staffing to support residents across a broader acuity range. Viva leadership has cited the influx of baby boomers, who are entering senior living with higher acuity and greater expectations, as the central driver of this direction.
Regional Density and Operational Depth
Rather than spreading thinly into many isolated markets, Viva pursues what its leadership describes as "cluster formation," building concentrations of communities within regions to create operational efficiency, shared leadership resources, and continuity for residents and staff. With clusters across the mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Northeast, and Midwest, this approach is designed to give each community access to regional support without requiring a large centralized corporate infrastructure.
Life at a Viva Community
Viva communities vary in size, design, and setting, so daily life can look different from one location to the next. Common features at many Viva communities may include structured activity programs, dining services with multiple meal periods, outdoor spaces and courtyards, housekeeping and laundry, scheduled transportation, and access to on-site or visiting health services. Memory care sections, where available, are designed with safety features, sensory-appropriate environments, and programming tailored to residents with cognitive impairments. Assisted living and personal care residents may receive medication management, bathing and grooming assistance, and mobility support, depending on assessed needs.
Families are encouraged to schedule an in-person tour, ask about staffing ratios and care coordination protocols, and review dining options and activities calendars during any visit. Communities recently added through management agreements may be in the process of integrating Viva's programs and practices, so the current experience may differ from long-established Viva locations.
What Residents and Families Say
Public reviews for Viva communities reflect a wide range of experiences across a portfolio operating in 12 states, as would be expected. Positive themes across multiple locations include staff responsiveness, a welcoming and friendly atmosphere, and the quality of memory care programming. Reviewers at several communities have noted that staff engage personally with residents, activities programming is active and varied, and family communication is generally consistent.
At the same time, reviews at some locations reflect variability in dining quality, the condition of older facilities, and care consistency, particularly at communities that were recently transitioned under Viva's management. As with any operator of this size and growth pace, the experience at an individual community depends heavily on local leadership, staffing, and whether a community is newly integrated or long-established.
Viva Memory Care at Dresher (Dresher, PA) holds a rating of 4.90 on Senior Care Finder as of August 2026.
Families are encouraged to review recent feedback for the specific community they are considering, speak with current residents and families during a tour, and verify licensing and inspection records with the relevant state regulatory agency.
Leadership
Christopher Metternich, Chief Executive Officer
Christopher Metternich serves as CEO of Viva Senior Living and has been a central figure in the company's growth strategy since its early years. He previously held the title of Chief Operating Officer and has been actively quoted in Senior Housing News on Viva's clinical care philosophy, staffing approach, and expansion strategy. Metternich has described the company's goal as meeting the clinical demands of a new generation of senior living residents, particularly as baby boomers enter the market with higher acuity needs and greater expectations.
Michael Jacobs and Joshua Jacobs, Managing Partners
Michael Jacobs and Joshua Jacobs serve as Managing Partners of Viva Senior Living, providing foundational leadership for the organization.
Heather Terhark, Chief Strategy Officer
Heather Terhark leads strategy for the company and has been involved in shaping Viva's growth plan. She serves as the company's primary press contact and has been cited in trade publications in connection with Viva's 2025 and 2026 expansion.
For the complete and current leadership team, visit Viva Senior Living's team page.
Recent News, Growth, and Recognition
Senior Housing News Names Viva One of the Top Operators to Watch in 2026
In August 2026, Senior Housing News named Viva Senior Living one of five senior living operators to watch in 2026. The independent trade publication cited Viva's rapid growth since its 2021 founding, its focus on high-acuity assisted living and memory care, and its entry into new markets in Georgia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, with further plans for Alabama and Wisconsin. Viva acknowledged the recognition on its website, noting growth to "nearly 50 senior living communities" and thanking its investment partners and community teams.
Read Viva's recognition statement | Read the Senior Housing News article
Three Virginia Communities Join the Portfolio as Riverstone Senior Living (July 2026)
Bowery Investment Partners acquired three former Cardinal Senior Living communities in Virginia and named Viva Senior Living as operator and manager, effective July 1, 2026. The communities, in Bedford, Danville, and Roanoke, were rebranded as Riverstone Senior Living and collectively comprise 164 assisted living and memory care units. Viva is providing operational leadership, programming, and employee development resources at all three locations.
Read the press release (company-issued)
Two Pennsylvania Communities Added to the Viva Portfolio (August 2026)
Viva Senior Living announced the addition of two established Pennsylvania communities in August 2026. The former Birches at Harleysville is now Viva Senior Living at Harleysville, and the former Traditions of Lansdale is now Viva Senior Living at Lansdale. The communities offer personal care and memory care in Harleysville, and personal care, independent living, and memory care in Lansdale. Viva is coordinating a phased integration of its programs and practices at both locations.
Read the press release (company-issued)
Viva Surpassed 40 Communities Under Management in 2025
Senior Housing News reported in January 2026 that Viva had surpassed 40 communities under management during 2025, adding properties across independent living, assisted living, and memory care. The article highlighted Viva's emphasis on clinical care coordination and staffing in response to the demographic demand driven by baby boomers, with leadership indicating plans to continue seeking new management agreements and ground-up development into 2026.
Read the Senior Housing News coverage
Logos Living Capital Acquisition Expanded Viva's Footprint in 2024
In 2024, Logos Living Capital acquired eight former Commonwealth Senior Living communities in a multi-state transaction and designated Viva Senior Living as the operator, according to Senior Housing News reporting from March 2025. That move was cited as one of the key milestones that allowed Viva to build the operational infrastructure for its 2025 and 2026 growth plan.
Read the Senior Housing News reporting
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Viva Senior Living?
Viva Senior Living is a senior living operator and management company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 2021 by healthcare professionals, Viva operates and manages approximately 45 communities across 12 states, offering assisted living, memory care, independent living, respite stays, and adult day services.
Where is Viva Senior Living headquartered?
Viva Senior Living is headquartered in New York, NY.
Who founded Viva Senior Living?
Viva Senior Living was founded in 2021 by healthcare professionals. Michael Jacobs and Joshua Jacobs serve as Managing Partners of the company.
How many communities does Viva Senior Living operate?
As of August 2026, Viva Senior Living operates approximately 45 senior living communities. The company has been actively adding to its portfolio and describes its total as approaching 50 communities.
Which states has Viva Senior Living communities in?
Viva has communities in Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
What type of care does Viva Senior Living offer?
Across its portfolio, Viva offers assisted living (called personal care in Pennsylvania and South Carolina), memory care, independent living, respite stays, and adult day services. The specific care options available vary by community.
Does Viva Senior Living offer memory care?
Yes. Memory care is available at many Viva communities. The program uses evidence-based programming, specially trained caregivers, and proactive clinical oversight within dedicated, smaller-scale living sections.
Do all Viva communities offer the same services?
No. Care options, amenities, floor plans, pricing, and programming vary by location. Families should confirm the specific services available at each community they are considering.
Are all Viva-managed communities branded under the Viva name?
No. Viva Senior Living also manages communities operating under other brand names, including Oak Pointe communities in Missouri and Riverstone Senior Living communities in Virginia, among others. The company offers white-label management for ownership groups that prefer to maintain an independent brand.
What do families and residents say about Viva Senior Living communities?
Reviews vary by location. Positive themes at multiple communities include staff responsiveness, welcoming environments, and active programming. The experience at any individual community depends on local leadership, staffing, and whether the community is newly integrated or long-established. Families are encouraged to review current feedback and tour any community they are considering.
How can families find and compare Viva Senior Living communities?
Visit the Viva Senior Living listings on Senior Care Finder to browse individual communities by location, care type, and other features. Contact each community directly for current pricing and availability.
Explore Viva Senior Living Communities
Viva Senior Living operates approximately 45 communities across 12 states, with properties spanning the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and Midwest. Services, pricing, amenities, leadership teams, and resident experience vary by location. Reviewing individual communities, scheduling in-person tours, and verifying licensing and inspection records are important steps for any family in this process.
To compare Viva Senior Living communities and connect with specific locations, explore the Viva Senior Living listings on Senior Care Finder.
Viva Senior Living is a paid Senior Care Finder partner. Partner status does not replace the need for families to independently evaluate individual communities, services, pricing, licensing information, and recent reviews.
Company information, leadership details, programs, recognition, and news were reviewed using publicly available sources. Information last reviewed August 2026.
