Friendship in the digital age: Tucson women are using Facebook to stay connected in their golden years

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — As social media continues to grow, more people are turning to digital platforms to connect with others.

For many retired women, Facebook groups have become a lifeline, offering an easy way to make new friends and stay engaged with life beyond the workplace.

"After a certain age, you become irrelevant. You become invisible," said Annrenee Jones, a member of the Facebook group 'Tucson Women of a Certain Age.'

This feeling of invisibility is common among older women, who often face social isolation after retirement. For women like Jones, the social media group has proven to be an accessible and effective way to combat this isolation.

Lori Pollard-Johnson, another active member of the group who also acts as a moderator, described her reaction when coming across the Facebook group and reading its description.

"If you're more likely to talk about grandchildren and menopause than babies in diapers, this is a group for you," said Pollard-Johnson. "I thought, well, that's me."

Now, the group has more than 100 women in their 50's and 60's.

"Many of us have grown children, elder parents, or we've lost a parent recently and we've dealt with the loss of what that feels like," said Vicky Ingalls, a member of Tucson Women of a Certain Age.

These shared experiences have sparked discussion in the group’s digital interactions and regular meetups, such as lunch gatherings and monthly book clubs.

"We all just kind of got together and walked in here alone and decided we’re going to try and make some friends," Pollard-Johnson said.

Facebook's role in facilitating these connections has not gone unnoticed. According to Jay Sampson, a digital media lecturer at the University of Arizona, the platform has significantly improved its “Groups” feature since 2019.

“They’ve created better tools—AI-driven tools—around content features, so that could be things like video integrated in groups, or polling, voting." Sampson explained.

The function of creating an event, which Pollard-Johnson frequently utilizes, has helped women find the group and take that extra step to attend an event.

"Other people can see exactly what they’re getting into, and even if they are new to the group, which we had two new people today, it’s a little bit more welcoming, I think," Pollard-Johnson added.