Earlier this year, I posted a story about Jayne Ehrlich’s Westport-based “aging in place” startup.
BoomerRoomers’ goal is to help ease America’s 70 million seniors’ triple whammy: loneliness, housing insecurity and ageism.
It’s planned to be the first of 4 living-alone-together websites.
Now, Jayne sends along an update. She writes:
We have proof that the home-sharing model is taking root, exponentially. The best way to help it succeed is to match people through housing and lifestyle choices. Our membership questionnaire does exactly that, using insight, humor, and compassion.
We originally planned to launch in New York City before expanding nationwide. But boomers all over the country have expressed enthusiasm. Their excitement convinced us that we need to round out our website and get the word out. It is time to expand more expeditiously.
Jayne Ehrlich
Our immediate goal is to incorporate several unique and compelling features into our website, and with the right marketing, to grow and grow and grow.
One of those features is a living-alone-together document (LATdoc), to enable clear communication between those offering a home share and those needing one.
We are also considering creating a “friendship” algorithm. It’s called “Hangout.” Like BoomerRoomers, users fill out a brief but thoughtful questionnaire. “Friends” are matched according to interests.
The BoomerRoomers logo.
While we are a for-profit business; we aim to add a non-profit arm in about a year. We embrace all socio-economic groups and demographics.
As part of our “Resources” directory, we hope to sign up local, state and national businesspeople, and others — for example, a contractor who could retrofit a home with accommodations for seniors.
We have a lean but comprehensive team ready to go. Two of us have worked together for almost 3 years. Four are local. We have our pitch deck, one-pager and information document. Our business plan is being updated and tweaked.
Another goal is to create a local “Boomer Corps.”
This would consist of retired or semi-retired boomers with a variety of skills and interests, plus available time. These folks have a strong desire to be “useful,” and make a difference in their communities.
Boomer Corps members would help other boomers as they move forward on the aging-in-place continuum.
Along with the warm spirit that comes from doing good deeds, members would make new friends as they joined our community of elders.
We hope to enact this business model in Westport, then more widely in Connecticut. Our model could expand to other areas, with government grants, website sponsorships and private funding, along with profits from our online matching sites.
Housing options, on the BoomerRoomers website.
Since the “06880” story we’ve been interviewed by NRP “Marketplace,” and a Texas blog. Despite only a couple of hours each week devoted to social media, and all team members working full-time jobs, we are encouraged by the enthusiastic feedback we’ve received.
But we need help.
We are seeking start-up savvy advisors, investors and additional team members, especially those with expertise in the start-up world.
If possible, we’d prefer to work with local folks.
To learn more, please email me: jaynecehrlich@boomerroomers.com.
