Seniors choose Bon Jour because the brain needs a workout, too

Most people spend years planning planning for retirement. Few plan for what comes comes after the vacations, hobbies and newfound free time begin to lose their novelty.

“Five, six years in, you’re like, ‘Okay, I’ve done it all. What is there else to do?’” says Maria Yiannopoulos, owner of Bon Jour Social & Leisure Center in Baton Rouge. “Bon Jour fills in that cognitive coaching gap to keep you sharp and focused.”

Yiannopoulos opened Bon Jour after years working in senior living communities, where she saw cognitive decline accelerate, notably after the isolation of COVID. She wanted to create a place focused on keeping older adults mentally engaged before serious decline begins.

“Everything that we do is based on strengthening your four areas of the brain,” she says. “The more mass you have, that means you’re creating new pathways, and your brain is engaged.”

At the center of Bon Jour’s programming is Fit Minds, an international, evidence-based cognitive coaching program. Yiannopoulos is Louisiana’s first certified Fit Minds coach.

A typical day blends mental and physical exercise. Members start with coffee, conversation and brain games like word searches and flashcards before moving into seated yoga, cardio or classes led by a gerontological kinetics specialist. They then participate in Fit Minds activities designed to challenge memory, language, computation and problem-solving.

“Today, for example, we did computation,” Yiannopoulos says. “We had to solve for X. That’s something we just don’t do frequently after retirement. But solving for X is building new neural pathways.”

The afternoon shifts to group games and social activities, keeping members laughing while continuing to challenge their minds.

Bon Jour serves both cognitively healthy adults looking to stay sharp and those with early- to mid-stage mild cognitive impairment. Yiannopoulos says staying mentally active becomes increasingly important as we age because the brain naturally loses mass over time.

“If we retire at 65 and we’re not cognitively engaged, we’re going to lose a small percentage of our brain mass,” she says. “That means we’re probably going to face some cognitive impairments.”

For members already experiencing memory loss, she says the progress has surprised even physicians.

“Doctors have told families, ‘I am shocked to see that person walk up to me, look me in the eye, say my name and try to communicate with me. Whatever this place is, keep going,’” Yiannopoulos says.

Some members who were once expected to require memory care are still attending Bon Jour years later. Yiannopoulos encourages families to watch for early warning signs, including missed bill payments, financial disorganization, getting lost in familiar places or repeating the same stories within minutes.

“That’s your hint to find out about a neurological cognitive test,” she says.

Bon Jour offers free cognitive assessments to help families understand where they stand and what steps to take next.

“There are places like Bon Jour that can help you become active and engaging again,” Yiannopoulos says. “Do your research, follow through, and take away the stigma.”

CONNECT WITH US: 7332 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, LA | 225.469.6559 | bonjourleisurecenter.com