Naborforce—which founder Paige Wilson describes as a cross between Uber and Bumble Friends—matches seniors who need assistance with individuals in their community.

“They help with little things around the home that might get a little harder as you get older, like making a meal, rolling out the garbage can and getting a fitted sheet on the bed,” Wilson said. “We also help people get to appointments and run errands together, but really at the core we are providing connection.”

By providing this assistance, Naborforce is helping seniors continue to live independently without moving into an assisted living community.

“Seniors like having autonomy, and this lets them have that,” Wilson said. “If they want to run some errands, they don't have to wait. ... It makes them feel like they're in control.”

The service matches individuals with seniors who live within close proximity to each other, so Naborforce is also helping people meet their neighbors. Although the Nabors do get paid, Wilson said most individuals do it because it’s a rewarding way to spend their time.

“Our Nabors talk about bringing joy to clients and how much joy they get out of being a Nabor, so we say we are inspired by joy,” Wilson said.

Coincidentally, Wilson founded the company after her experience caring for her aging mother whose name was Joy.

“I started the company because of going through this with my mom,” Wilson said. “She broke her hip. She was only in her 70s, and she'd been pretty independent, but all the sudden I had to drive her places. She called me all hours of the day and night. I just thought, ‘I need another me.’ I had a teenage daughter and a demanding career, but there was really no option other than full-time in-home care.”

After she moved to a new city, she was looking for a way to get involved in her new community, and a conversation with a friend who worked for Uber led to her “lightbulb moment.”

“I thought, ‘If we can build a tech platform that connects people like me when they're available, they could step in and be that thing that I needed for my mom,’” Wilson said.

To get started, individuals set up an account for themselves or a loved one. After filling out all the basic information, individuals can leave special notes for the Nabor, giving them helpful context for the senior’s unique situation.

Wilson said individuals using the app do not need to submit any medical information, as Naborforce does not provide any health care services.

Once the account is set up, individuals just choose a day, time and what they need assistance with, and are quickly matched with someone in close proximity who can help.

“We've built this terrific algorithm that looks at all the visit requests, and then finds you a Nabor that lives close and is available when you need them,” Wilson said. “If you have a Nabor and you have a great experience—which you always do—you can mark them as a favorite so the next time you book Naborforce, if they're available, you'll get them.”

To sign up for Naborforce, go here. To learn more about pricing, go here. To apply to become a Nabor, go here.

The above story was produced by Multi-platform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.