Aging is a hot topic in America these days. So is anti-aging. On the one hand, the Baby Boomer generation are now in their late 50s which means big changes to our workforce, retirement system, and healthcare delivery system, all of which are creating business opportunities for companies that meet the needs of the aging population. On the other hand, the relentless desire to remain youthful has created a desire to stay and look young, which to some degree is setting up a choice we’re going to have make: Aging or Anti-Aging.  

Maria Yiannopoulos, Todd Howell, Stephanie Riegel

On the side of aging, Maria Yiannopolous is Director of Community Relations at Southside Gardens,  a retirement community of independent living and assisted living units in the heart of Baton Rouge’s Southdowns neighborhood.

Unlike most retirement communities, which are owned by large chains, Southside Gardens is a family-owned business.  Maria’s background is in marketing, which she did in her native New Orleans for more than two decades. Since 2017, she has been spreading the word about Southside Gardens and helping shape their message. 

Dr. Todd Howell is co-owner of The Aesthetic Medicine and Anti-Aging Clinics of Louisiana, which, as its name suggests, is in the business of trying to keep us from aging – or, at least, from looking like we’re aging. The Aesthetic Medicine Institute and Anti Aging Clinics were founded in 2009 and have locations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. In the years since, the business has grown exponentially, as the global market for aesthetic medicine has increased from more than $10billion in 2016 to what is expected to be nearly $27billion in just the next four years. Todd is an emergency room physician by training, who moved into aesthetic medicine more than a decade ago and has since become one of the local pioneers in the field.

Out to Lunch Baton Rouge is recorded over lunch at Mansurs on the Boulevard.

Check out more conversations about aging over lunch.