What started as a wish to make the courtyard more beautiful has grown into something much bigger at Claiborne Senior Living’s Baton Rouge community.

The community’s Gardening Club began a couple of years ago, when resident Rudolph “Coach Red” Smith put up a simple interest signup sheet and invited his neighbors to join him. What started with a handful of names has since grown into a club of 18 members and counting.

Independent living residents Jim Mire and Judy Hale have helped carry that momentum forward, transforming the outdoor spaces with flowers, herbs, vegetables, and a whole lot of heart. Their work spans both the independent living and assisted living courtyards, turning once-plain spaces into places that feel colorful, welcoming, and very much alive.

For Judy, the inspiration was personal. Before moving to The Claiborne at Baton Rouge, she spent years tending her own home’s landscaping, and when she looked at the pool area, she saw potential for added beauty.

“We had a pool and well-landscaped two and a half acres at our home, and I wanted that,” she said. “I like being outside. I just want the pool to look like it’s paradise.”

Jim brought a lifetime of gardening experience with him. The oldest of ten children, he grew up helping his father work a two-acre garden. “I raised stuff from the time I was big enough to walk,” he said. That lifelong love of growing things has shaped the project from the very beginning.

The gardening effort has been supported from early on by a local Walmart, which has generously provided a $250 gift card each year to help the group buy soil and plants. Residents say the donation makes a meaningful difference, especially since much of the flower bed area is heavy clay and needs a lot of improvement before anything will grow well.

From there, the project just kept growing.

Jim brought about 100 amaryllis bulbs from his previous home, and many of them are blooming around the community right now. Over time, the club has also added tomatoes, herbs, zinnias, sunflowers, geraniums, agapanthus, bottlebrush, and more. The herb garden has also become a point of pride. Judy recently picked basil, thyme, rosemary, and parsley for the kitchen, and any resident who likes to cook is welcome to step outside and snip their own.

Just as meaningful as the garden itself is the way it has brought people together.

To encourage participation, the club began offering tomato plants to anyone who was willing to join. What began as a small effort quickly drew a crowd. Some residents sat at a table transplanting zinnia seedlings into pots. Others who weren’t able to garden themselves chipped in financially. According to Judy, 13 residents have contributed more than $400 to help support the planting beds.

“Some of them said, ‘Oh, we’ve never done anything like this. This is fun,'” Judy recalled.

Now the garden has become a gathering place. In the afternoons, Jim and Judy often bring drinks out to the courtyard and invite others to join them and enjoy the beauty they helped create.

The project has reached beyond the independent living areas. Jim and Judy have worked to bring plantings into the assisted living courtyard as well, helping spread the joy of the garden to even more residents. Some assisted living residents have become especially invested, including one 92-year-old gentleman named Tommy who came along on a flower-shopping trip simply because he loves the garden so much.

For Judy, the deeper message is clear: residents are capable of more than people sometimes assume.

“People can do anything if they put their minds to it,” she said. She would know. She’s had four major back surgeries and still wears a back brace, but she continues to find ways to garden. When people tell her they can’t, she doesn’t buy it. There’s always something to do, she says, whether that means planting, transplanting seedlings, handing over a pot, donating a few dollars, or simply coming outside to enjoy the space and keep other residents company.

That spirit is part of what makes this story so special. It’s about more than flowers or garden beds. It is about pride, purpose, friendship, and the kind of community that grows when residents are encouraged to share their talents and take ownership of the place they call home.

At The Claiborne at Baton Rouge, Jim, Judy, and the rest of the Gardening Club are doing more than planting gardens. They helped plant connection, beauty, and a fresh sense of possibility.

Claiborne Senior Living, a leader in senior living services, is proud to announce that it has once again been awarded the coveted WELL Certification at the Health-Safety level from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). This esteemed certification is a testament to Claiborne’s commitment to creating environments that enhance the health and well-being of its residents and staff.

Achieved through IWBI’s WELL v2, the most recent iteration of the WELL Building Standard, this certification recognizes Claiborne’s dedication to high-quality living spaces. The WELL Building Standard is a globally acknowledged benchmark for buildings that positively impact human health and wellness. Developed over seven years with input from leading physicians, scientists, and industry experts, the standard is a rigorous performance-based system focusing on ten key areas: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind, and Community.

Claiborne Senior Living, with its portfolio of 11 boutique communities across Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee, stands at the forefront of offering premium independent living, assisted living, and memory care services. This certification underlines their unwavering dedication to not only providing exceptional care but also fostering a nurturing environment for both residents and employees.

“At Claiborne Senior Living, we are deeply committed to the well-being and happiness of our residents and staff. Achieving the WELL Certification at the Health-Safety level is a reflection of our dedication to creating a safe, healthy, and comfortable living environment,” states Tim Dunne, President and CEO of Claiborne Senior Living. “We continually strive to be pioneers in the senior living industry, ensuring that every aspect of our communities contributes positively to the lives of those we serve. This recognition from IWBI motivates us to keep pushing boundaries and setting new standards in the industry.”

Project features that helped Claiborne communities achieve its WELL Certified Health-Safety level rating include:

• Smoke free environment
• Ventilation effectiveness
• Moisture management
• Humidity control
• Promoting movement, physical activity, and active living
• Waste management
• Mental health support and education
• Restorative spaces, support, and programs
• Emergency preparedness
• Community access and engagement

WELL is grounded in evidence-based research that explores the connection between the buildings where we spend approximately 90 percent of our time, and the health and well-being impacts on the people inside these buildings. To be awarded WELL Certification by IWBI, all Claiborne communities underwent rigorous testing and a final evaluation carried out by third parties to ensure it met all WELL Certified Health-Safety performance requirements.

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International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance Rating, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

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Claiborne Senior Living Communities achieve WELL Certification at the Health-Safety level

(Hattiesburg, MS, December 28, 2022) – The Claiborne at Brickyard Crossing has announced that it has been awarded WELL Certification at the Health-Safety level for its family of senior living communities by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). The prestigious distinction was awarded through IWBI’s WELL v2, the latest version of the WELL Building Standard. WELL is the premier building standard to focus on enhancing people’s health and well-being through the buildings where we live, work and play. 

Claiborne Senior Living consists of 10 communities across Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina. Their boutique senior living communities provide independent living, assisted living and memory care services to older adults. Claiborne is committed to enhancing the lives of their employees, their residents, and the families they serve by crafting meaningful relationships within their communities and delivering excellence.

Created through seven years of rigorous research and development working with leading physicians, scientists, and industry professionals, the WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system that marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based scientific research. Claiborne earned the distinction based on ten categories of building performance — Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community — and achieved a Health-Safety level rating. IWBI is the leading authority for transforming health and well-being with its people-first approach to buildings, organizations, and communities.

“We decided to pursue our WELL certification as it perfectly coincides with our desire and passion to create the best possible environment for our residents and team members,” commented Justin Wray, Chief Operating Officer of Claiborne Senior Living. “Learning and understanding that we spend approximately 90% of our time indoors, regardless of age, was even more of a driving factor to focus on environmental changes that promote wellbeing.”

Project features that helped Claiborne communities achieve its WELL Certified Health-Safety level rating include:

• Smoke free environment
• Ventilation effectiveness
• Moisture management
• Humidity control
• Promoting movement, physical activity, and active living
• Waste management
• Mental health support and education
• Restorative spaces, support, and programs
• Emergency preparedness
• Community access and engagement

WELL is grounded in evidence-based research that explores the connection between the buildings where we spend approximately 90 percent of our time, and the health and well-being impacts on the people inside these buildings. To be awarded WELL Certification by IWBI, all Claiborne communities underwent rigorous testing and a final evaluation carried out by third parties to ensure it met all WELL Certified Health-Safety performance requirements.

International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance Rating, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

Claiborne Senior Living Communities achieve WELL Certification at the Health-Safety level

(Hattiesburg, MS, December 28, 2022) – Claiborne has announced that it has been awarded WELL Certification at the Health-Safety level for its family of senior living communities by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). The prestigious distinction was awarded through IWBI’s WELL v2, the latest version of the WELL Building Standard. WELL is the premier building standard to focus on enhancing people’s health and well-being through the buildings where we live, work and play. 

Claiborne Senior Living consists of 10 communities across Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and South Carolina. Their boutique senior living communities provide independent living, assisted living and memory care services to older adults. Claiborne is committed to enhancing the lives of their employees, their residents, and the families they serve by crafting meaningful relationships within their communities and delivering excellence.

Created through seven years of rigorous research and development working with leading physicians, scientists, and industry professionals, the WELL Building Standard is a performance-based certification system that marries best practices in design and construction with evidence-based scientific research. Claiborne earned the distinction based on ten categories of building performance — Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Movement, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials, Mind and Community — and achieved a Health-Safety level rating. IWBI is the leading authority for transforming health and well-being with its people-first approach to buildings, organizations, and communities.

“We decided to pursue our WELL certification as it perfectly coincides with our desire and passion to create the best possible environment for our residents and team members,” commented Justin Wray, Chief Operating Officer of Claiborne Senior Living. “Learning and understanding that we spend approximately 90% of our time indoors, regardless of age, was even more of a driving factor to focus on environmental changes that promote wellbeing.”

Project features that helped Claiborne communities achieve its WELL Certified Health-Safety level rating include:

• Smoke free environment
• Ventilation effectiveness
• Moisture management
• Humidity control
• Promoting movement, physical activity, and active living
• Waste management
• Mental health support and education
• Restorative spaces, support, and programs
• Emergency preparedness
• Community access and engagement

WELL is grounded in evidence-based research that explores the connection between the buildings where we spend approximately 90 percent of our time, and the health and well-being impacts on the people inside these buildings. To be awarded WELL Certification by IWBI, all Claiborne communities underwent rigorous testing and a final evaluation carried out by third parties to ensure it met all WELL Certified Health-Safety performance requirements.

International WELL Building Institute pbc is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delos Living LLC. International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rating, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Performance Rating, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.