Insta-Gramp: Closing Generational Gaps by Opening an App

by Emily Kay Hooke

The Problem: Ageism and Lethal Loneliness

“Okay boomer” is a phrase that defined 2019, described by the New York Times as the “end of
friendly generational relations” (Lorenz, 2019). In 2023, it is clear that the boomers are not okay, and it is
going to take the collaborative efforts of Americans from all age groups to change that fact.
On average, United States residents aged 60 and older spend half of their waking hours
completely alone (Livingston, 2019). The 1.3 million senior citizens currently living in nursing homes
(National Center for Health Statistics, 2018) can spend closer to 65% of their waking hours alone (Lorenz
et al., 2019). These statistics are both sad and deadly. Life expectancy has been proven by several studies
to decline when an individual is consistently lonely (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). Furthermore, chronically
lonely residents in senior citizen facilities have twice the risk of contracting Alzheimer’s (Wilson et al.,
2007), yet another predictor for death (Alzheimer’s Association, 2022).
Ageism, also known as age discrimination or polarization between the old and young, has
festered in society since long before 2019. 93.4% of respondents aged 50-80 recently claimed to be
regular victims of ageism (Allen et al., 2022), and the younger generation regularly manifests their dislike
for senior citizens in the media.

The Solution: An app that unites generations in the battle for better health
How can we break the cycle of polarization between old and young, thus eliminating the ageism
that separates one generation from another? How can we return connection and community to the senior
citizens of the United States, helping them to live out their golden years as happily as we hope to one day
do?
My fifteen years of experience befriending, singing to, and laughing with the residents of nursing
homes throughout Utah and Idaho has not only strengthened my voice, for it has also strengthened my
resolve to be theirs. I witnessed the crippling loneliness which my grandfather faced during his final
months of life in a nursing home, and in honor of him, I want to play a role in the solution.
Introducing Insta-Gramp; a simple, engaging, speed-friending application catered to those who
move at a slower pace. Recent tactics involving regular video call participation among senior citizens
have seen immensely positive results, but they can be improved (Zamir et al., 2018). Insta-Gramp’s
simple and wireless platform is designed not only to help senior citizens but also to grant the younger
generation both mental benefits and tangible rewards as they play a role in the solution.