No matter how old you are, you know at least one Baby Boomer. These individuals were born right after World War II, and are now anywhere from 56 to 74 years old; They are our parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Often times seen as “lonely and depressed,” it’s not always easy getting in contact with them. The mental health of all generations has suffered from the COVID-19 global pandemic; Not only is is harder to see family members, it’s generally more dangerous.

Depression has increased by up to 40% in Baby Boomers, and there are a variety of reasons behind this increase. Between the uncertainty of health, job security, financial security, and the loss of family and friends, it’s no question that life begins to be filled with “What ifs” around this age. Oftentimes, depression and loneliness go hand in hand; You feel completely alone in your thoughts, and more often than not, start to shy away from family and friends. This is seen in all generations, but can be extremely dangerous for the Baby Boomers.

Although Baby Boomers are statistically more “financially stable” than their parents, suicide rates have increased from past generations. This may be due to a few different factors. Chronic stress plays a huge role in clinical depression, and with the Baby Boomers nearly at the end of their prime, the stress of daily life may begin to take a toll on their mental health. As a whole, Baby Boomers are more educated and wealthier than their parents; However, considering they lived their young adult lives to the fullest, with schedules pushed to the limit, many ended up with an incredible amount of not only stress, but depression as well.

Yet another reason Baby Boomers may be more depressed is the evolution of psychology, and the acceptance of it in the scientific field. After World War II, psychology and psychiatry was studied on a larger scale; For example, the military began examining veterans’ mental health after their lengthy deployments. In 1949, the World Health Organization (WHO) added mental disorders as classified medical diseases. With the growing acceptance of depression and anxiety, more and more people began to seek treatment for their mental illnesses.

So how can we combat depression and loneliness in the Baby Boomers, while maintaining a “proper” distance? How can we worry, without worrying? The revolutionary new app, called Just Checking In can help provide support for your loved ones, near and far, by simply… just checking in. We are all guilty of not checking in with our parents, grandparents, and older loved ones as often as we should. With Just Checking In, we hope to solve the simple issue that really means the most to our loved ones; A simple reminder that they are loved, cared for, and most importantly, not alone. Our objective is to ensure that those living alone feel safe, while providing peace for not only them, but ourselves as well. We aim to foster closer bonds between families and friends across the globe, and most importantly, support the existing effort to assist with mental health across all age groups. Not sure if it is right for you? We’re offering the first 14 days on us. By just checking in with your loved ones, you get peace of mind, and comfort knowing everything is okay.

About: Just Checking In allows loved ones to stay connected without having to exchange facetime, calls or texts every day. If you don’t check in, your emergency contacts will be sent a text to check on you, Just in case.