{"id":27472,"date":"2016-06-09T14:05:19","date_gmt":"2016-06-09T12:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/?p=27472"},"modified":"2026-01-22T13:50:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T12:50:06","slug":"fostering-social-integration-launch-of-a-senior-only-airbnb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.silvereco.org\/en\/fostering-social-integration-launch-of-a-senior-only-airbnb\/","title":{"rendered":"Fostering social integration: launch of a senior-only “Airbnb”"},"content":{"rendered":"

The launch of Airbnb-emulator Freebird Club, a platform dedicated exclusively to seniors, is scheduled for June,\u00a0after creator Peter Mangan received the\u00a0European Commission’s Social Innovation Competition\u00a0for its role in fighting off loneliness among seniors<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Bergen:A potential remedy to loneliness among the elderly?<\/h2>\n

Contrary to popular belief that people aged 60 or above are\u00a0allergic to new technologies, seniors are getting more and more involved on sharing platforms<\/strong>. Airbnb recently said seniors are its fastest-growing demographic; they also tend to get more positive reviews.<\/p>\n

Peter Mangan decided to\u00a0create a sharing platform dedicated exclusively to people from age 55 onwards after his father’s first thrilling experience as an Airbnb host. The Freebird Club was created in Ireland and aims to\u00a0connect travellers with potential hosts. Though it may seem very similar to how Airbnb works,\u00a0an\u00a0important distinction is its dedication to fostering social interactions<\/a><\/strong> rather than just offering accommodation; hosts always stay in with guests. \u00a0Membership comes at a small fee and is required to use the platform.<\/p>\n

Many seniors feel the desire to travel but are hesitant to do it alone. This new platform could be the opportunity to provide them with social connections they may never have otherwise, and travel in good company, in the context of widespread concerns that the elderly may be leading increasingly isolated lives. “We really want to provide something that\u2019s fun and inspiring for older people. It provided a new way of travelling for them”, says Peter Mangan.<\/p>\n

Connecting people to prevent strokes?<\/h2>\n

Isolation leads to higher rates of depression and anxiety among the general population, and even more so among the elderly, who have a harder time finding human interactions due to being generally less active. Recent\u00a0findings<\/a> suggest that loneliness\u00a0can negatively\u00a0impact people’s health, increasing\u00a0chances of having a stroke or coronary artery disease by as much as 30%. Addressing the issue of\u00a0the isolation of the elderly could go a long way towards improving their general physical and mental well-being.<\/p>\n

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Watch the Freebird Club promotional video :<\/p>\n