Grandma's Club and Your Labs

As we’ve all heard, America is aging and the numbers are pretty
startling.


People 65 and older represented just 16% of the population in
2019. By 2040, they’ll make up nearly one fourth of all
Americans, and those numbers are expected to continue to climb.


Part of the reason people are living longer is because of new
technologies and innovations in the healthcare sector that are
enabling providers to deliver more effective care in new and more
efficient ways. It’s a space full of challenges and opportunities
- and local Baton Rouge entrepreneurs are on the front lines.


Rachael Slaughter is President and co-owner of Orion
Labotatories, a medical testing lab based in Baton Rouge that in
just a few short years has become the largest independent lab in
the state, processing some 600,000 patient samples a year.


Rachael co-founded the company with her husband David Slaughter
in 2017. Today, they’re taking on industry giants like Quest and
Lab Corps, with an in-house test menu, a dedicated team for
specimen collection and an extensive courier network.


Rachel has more than 15 years experience in the medical field –
in fact, she was the one who got David into the business. In the
years since it has grown to more than 80 employees, headquartered
on Corporate Boulevard.


Maria Yiannopoulos is founder and owner of Bon Jour Social and
Leisure Center, a social club for seniors who are aging in place
in the Greater Baton Rouge area.


Bon Jour opened its doors in February 2023 and offers social life
enrichment activities and a safe social outlet for seniors to
meet and socialize in the aftermath of COVID.


Maria was a guest on this show a few years ago when she was
marketing director of a local assisted living facility. In the
years since, a lot has changed and Maria has decided to out on
her own with this unique and much needed niche service.


Maria is a native of Baton Rouge, who spent her early childhood
in Greece, and has extensive professional experience in assisted
living communities, aging in place for seniors and helping
individuals with disabilities gain independence through
technologies and devices.


Out to Lunch is recorded live over lunch at Mansurs on the
Boulevard. You can find photos from this show by Brian Pavlich at
itsbatonrouge.la.


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