This year the design challenge focused on keeping the aging population mentally engaged, physically fit and financially secures. I found this after the submission date but I had some ideas so I put it together anyway.

 

There are over 100 million Americans that are over 60+ and that number is only growing.  Today retirement isn’t playing card games with other old people. Increasing longevity means increasing standards of living. People are working well past retirement.

 

Here is my idea:

I want to connect retire/retiring individuals with younger generations in mentoring.

 

This could have broad meaning. From small business mentoring and training, there are so many nuances is starting a business that even with individuals who started a business without the internet can help with. There is still hiring people, expanding, and different things that an experience business person may be willing to help with on a part-time manner or as an investor something. VC’s could leverage these people was part of their oversight at some companies.

 

There are things we are losing with a lack of generational connections. For example, pre-prohibition brewing and distilling. There are people around who know more about classic brewing techniques, things they know from their grandparents about how things were done, that we are losing. I know of two people who have century old family recipes for liquor that are just gathering dust. There are regional sewing or woodworking techniques that are disappearing.

 

This could also include sports. How to swing a baseball bat really hasn’t changed. Why don’t we get more people involved with children’s sports.

I want to build a platform that connects peoples to keep these things alive.

 

I would want to keep this very simple and clean as well as make it printable which could make more accessible if some people don’t live in places with lots of internet access.

 

People can make profiles about skills and knowledge they have, if they can travel or would need a ride somewhere, volunteering their time or would like some pay for their time, and how much time they are looking to give.

A “seeking” section where people can put out things they are looking for.

 

I really think this has value because people love to share knowledge. With many people living far from each some don’t get to have strong relationships with family.