SWISHER — With less than a month until the Iowa caucuses, a new candidate will be stepping into the ring, and it won’t be for president.
Wyzr Friends (pronounced “smart”) wants to use a simple platform to help people over 40 feel less lonely in an increasingly isolated world.
Now, two months into beta testing with early adopters, two San Diego women with no software development experience are releasing a smartphone app for people their age. They hope the app, which will launch in Iowa on caucus day Jan. 15, will help combat social isolation, which the World Health Organization has deemed a new health priority, one community at a time. We hope that we can respond to each case.
“We’re on the same trajectory as a presidential campaign going state by state,” said Taylor Jay, a 40-something co-founder of Weiser Friends. “Iowa has always anticipated what’s going to happen to this country. It’s much more community-oriented.”
How to use
The new app, which is currently available for free download via the App Store on iPhones or Google Play on Android smartphones, shares similarities with platforms like Bumble Friends. Bumble Friends is a spin-off of the popular dating app that allows users to find platonic rather than romantic partners. But unlike most other apps, Wyzr Friends is targeted at more mature adults, those in their 40s and above.
Users can sign up as individuals or as a couple with a partner, creating a profile that lists their most interests and health and wellness goals. You can then scroll through other profiles in your feed and give your friend a thumbs up or thumbs down to indicate that you’re interested in potential matches.
For those who feel that age should be just a number, take comfort in the fact that profiles list ages in ranges such as under 50, 50s, and 60s.
After matching with other users with similar interests, users can start conversations, make plans to meet up, send “friend blasts” for impromptu outings, arrange carpools, and more. can also do. Using the specified radius and other filters, users can find people to try new restaurants, see movies, go to concerts, and play pickleball.
“At our age, it’s hard to meet people. Matching allows you to meet people based on your interests, which takes some of the awkwardness out of meeting people.” said co-founder Carolyn Kelly, who is in her 50s. “It’s not limited to your immediate social circle. You have the ability to meet entirely new people.”
Designed by seniors for seniors, it prioritizes ease of use, with built-in tutorials and an email support line answered by the author himself.
Users can find additional security chats with authenticated users vetted within the app using real-time selfies and their IDs by trusted ID verification companies, ensuring users don’t chat with scammers or bots. I can confirm that you haven’t. Verified users will see a badge on their profile, similar to other social media platforms.
The need for new social opportunities
When Kelly returned to her hometown in California after 30 years, she was an empty nester. Apps for meeting other people were either too focused on dating or targeted at a younger demographic.
“This appealed to me because I felt there was a need,” she said.
Wyzr Friends, which currently has 1,500 registered users, serves all types of people, including empty nesters, people who have moved to a new city, and people who rarely leave the house and work remotely. We are gathering.
Some users may seek spiritual connection after losing a spouse. Others may just need a friend to run errands with.
“We’ve seen some really interesting user profiles like, ‘I’m tired of sitting at home talking to my cat,’ or ‘I want someone to go to Costco with,'” Jay said.
For Mary Melvin, a Des Moines user and current local ambassador for the app, she needed new friends after moving to Iowa for the first time.
In Connecticut, she firmly established herself on boards and committees and built a social circle over the decades, even after some of her interests were sidetracked by raising children. But after her husband took a new job in Iowa, she didn’t realize how difficult it would be to recreate that.
She joined a country club, took up tennis, and connected with a local arts group, but finding a match for her particular interests was more difficult. And she, and many others her age, are entering a new phase in life as the last of their children leave home or move to a new place to be closer to family.
“I’ve connected with a few people here and there, but the most meaningful thing is trying to find people with similar interests,” said Melvin, 52. It can be difficult to break into. ”
After 25 years of parenting, she had to focus on what made her happy. It was about being surrounded by art, speaking French, and traveling. Apps tailored to your interests make it easy.
“There’s a sense of loss, trying to figure out how to adapt to the next phase of life,” she said. “It’s a lonely thing because it’s so personal. It’s about trying to find your own fulfillment and connecting with people who bring out the best in you.”
A new type of “senior center”
When Pat Meyer returned to Cedar Rapids in 2013 after years away, she also had to find a way to meet new friends. And right after the 2008 flood, Cedar Rapids didn’t have a senior center.
In time, she became involved in helping Bridges to Opportunity for Seniors develop stronger programs through the Life Enrichment Center in Cedar Rapids and the Four Oaks Bridge Building (2100 First Ave. NE) and held regular off-site meetings. Programs for seniors include weekly meetings on Mondays and Thursdays, as well as nature walks and group outings.
In recent years, we have also developed Facebook groups for people of our age to connect, such as Cedar Rapids 55 Plus.
The World Health Organization says social isolation can cause health complications comparable to other well-known risk factors such as smoking, heavy drinking, inactivity and obesity. In older people, the risk of isolation is more pronounced.
“Since the pandemic, we have seen a sharp increase in diagnoses of depression and anxiety among older adults,” said Meyer, 75. “It was technology that saved people the most from the coronavirus. But the people who benefited the least were the elderly.”
In addition to technology-enabled barriers, barriers to making friends through traditional methods include lack of transportation and the difficulty of going to a group alone for the first time. But even when people in your age group gather, Meyer says it can be difficult to find people who want to go to a show or dinner that night.
To help, she has made group reservations to see local performances and organized “hometown tourist” activities that bring together a diverse group of people with themes such as history and bird watching. She believes that common interests are the key to bringing people together in meaningful ways.
There may also be a stigma associated with going to a “senior center,” she says.
Aging happens differently
With opportunities being shared via mail, email, and social media platforms, Cedar Rapids is currently facing a major challenge in finding a central communication channel for seniors to connect with each other and learn more about the opportunities that exist. Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said.
She’s heard from people in their 50s, 60s and 70s that meeting new friends can be difficult, especially for those who don’t live in a retirement community.
Programming in the city, including classes and trips through departments such as parks and recreation and libraries, is facilitated through the city’s seasonal Play! guide.
Opportunities in the private sector range from the Smithfield Center Pickleball League and the Ellis Golf League to music tours and travel tours through a variety of organizations focused on programs for different age groups. O’Donnell said many older voters can connect through neighborhood associations or by volunteering with the city’s many programs, such as the Municipal Volunteer Program and the United Way.
She said the city’s Age-Friendly Action Plan, approved by the Cedar Rapids City Council in September 2022, recognizes that thriving communities are centered around promoting social connectedness and inclusion, not just infrastructure. He said this would be a good starting point to address the challenge of social isolation.
“People age differently today. They reject the ‘senior center’ idea of the past,” she said. “People are looking for ways to be social and active. Frankly, that’s why people are living better and longer.”
Comment: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at elijah.decious@thegazette.com or (319) 398-8340.