Want to join an earnest discussion on healthy longevity? Pitch your AgeTech product? Talk to fellow caregivers? Meet smart, interesting people without leaving home? If you do, then Clubhouse is the perfect place.
Most Boomer Tech Talk readers want to contribute to improving how we care for our loved ones as well as ourselves as we age.
What is Clubhouse
Clubhouse is an audio centric mobile device based app. Your experience is similar to being in a room with people who are very interested in the same topic, including people with deep experience in elements of the discussion. There’s no need to worry about your hair, no need to write anything. You can choose to talk or just listen. Identity is verified by your mobile number along with a bio. Links to your Twitter and/or Instagram are expected. You get to know people by hearing them talk spontaneously. Used to be that almost nothing is recorded, now many rooms have “replays available” that you can easily save to listen to later. It works. I have enjoyed bringing on friends I already know in real life and have met many new people.
If you read the origin article about Clubhouse in Wired, you’ll find one of the founders (Rohan Seth) has a child with a rare disease – one of the reasons why health care has been a core topic of discussion on Clubhouse from the beginning.
Many articles have been written about Clubhouse. When Clubhouse was opened to Android on May 21, 2021, it made television news. In April 2021, Twitter had entered discussions to purchase Clubhouse at a $4 billion valuation. (The talks ended with no acquisition). Although Clubhouse is a phenomenon, not everyone has heard about it.
I am writing this article about Clubhouse to provide people in the business of serving older adults a succinct explanation as to why I am inviting them to join Clubhouse and follow my Club within Clubhouse called the Rethinking Aging Club.
Several ‘Should you be on Clubhouse’ articles have been written for consumers 50+. These point out why Clubhouse has been attractive to this population segment – including those published on Next Avenue (Margie Zable Fisher), AARP (Ed Baig) and Tampa Bay Times (Hannah Critchfield, Seniors Reporter). My article is focused on health care, start-ups, age tech product development, healthy longevity, caregiving and care facilities – more specifically on the themes of my Club: Rethinking Aging.
Becoming a Member of Rethinking Aging Club
If you’d like to join the Rethinking Aging Club on Clubhouse, you can now just hit join. It is important to fill out your bio and authenticate your identity by connecting Twitter and/or Instagram. If you don’t have one of those, please include the link to your LinkedIn. You can expect a one-hour room every Thursday at 10am PT with lively discussion. For the first six months or so, all members were carefully curated before they were admitted but when Clubhouse gave Club owners new choices about room types, this type made more sense.
Creating a Bio on Clubhouse
Clubhouse is still new and one of the things they don’t provide is formatting for your bio. If you are using an Apple device, I recommend that you write your bio in Apple Notes and then copy-paste it into your profile. There is also an app that provides a few profile examples and a link to emojipedia.org at ClubhouseBio.xyz.
Here is an example of a profile (mine): Linda Sherman on Clubhouse.
Finding and Adding Clubhouse Room Events to Your Calendar
When you click on the room event, Clubhouse offers to add that event to your Apple or Google calendar. That works well and displays it on your calendar in your time zone.
On Clubhouse individual profiles, you will find listed the next room in which the person will be officially speaking. On Club pages, there is a carousel of upcoming rooms. (As of November 2021, there are now Replays available on profiles and Club pages – if there are any).
As “content creators” on Clubhouse, one of our challenges is when to schedule rooms. It’s always inconvenient for someone in various locations across the globe and even across the United States. I joined Clubhouse on January 7th, 2021. That was before Clubhouse went international and scheduling was therefore much easier. Now you inevitably drop off Asia on one end of scheduling and Europe on the other.
Clubhouse Transparency, Tutorials, Invitations and Trust
Clubhouse Transparency
I find it very nice that the founders Rohan and Seth do a one hour TownHall every week. The first half features updates and the second half answers questions that have been submitted. Irene Koehler does a recap associated with that from her Women in Business 40+ Club that includes Clubhouse tech expertise from Nawzil Najeeb and Cyndilu Miller and interaction on how to use Clubhouse’s latest features.
Townhall used to be every Sunday at 9am PT but since March 2022 Clubhouse is experimenting with a new time on Tuesday for TownHall so that their staff doesn’t HAVE to work on Sunday. You’ll find Townhall replays on the Clubhouse HQ Club page.
Clubhouse Tutorials
Look for the New User Onboarding Clubb Every Wednesday at 6pm PT, Paul Davison and some staff members are doing an introduction to Clubhouse for newcomers or anyone that would like to come. Housewarming Club has community hosts that do a welcome and introduction. Check Housewarming Club appear to have a regular one at Tuesday 9am PT. Note that both Clubs have Replays on so you could listen to a replay at any time. Features are constantly being updated so I recommend choosing a recent one.
Clubhouse Invitations are No Longer Needed
As of July 21, 2021, Clubhouse is open to everyone. However, you can still join with an invitation. Having a nomination at the bottom of your profile from a trustworthy person is a positive.
Including a bio and validation links is even more important now that Clubhouse is open to everyone. Trust has always been one of the very attractive elements of Clubhouse.
Trust is important in gaining followers. Most rooms will not invite you on stage to speak if you have not filled out your bio.
Clubhouse Room Creation Tip – Get Permission Before Adding Speakers
I have moderated many panels for live in-person conferences. Clubhouse discussions are not nearly as tight but live panel experience is relevant. I am not going to list all of my moderating tips but I do have one strong opinion in creating rooms.
Only speakers that have confirmed they can attend a Clubhouse room – thereby also having their consent to be named on the upcoming event – should be listed and promoted for the calendared event. This takes more time but I believe it is the ethically correct thing to do. Many people do not regularly check their “my events” where rooms on which they have been listed can be found. The next room they will speak on is automatically listed on their profile, raising awareness for that hosting club.
If you have narratively listed regular rooms on your Club page, please keep these updated.
When a large airline changes the departure time of your flight, they notify you and even update the time within your personal calendar. Clubhouse does none of those things, so move start times and dates as infrequently as possible and try to notify your community.
Club and Room Selections
There are many clubs that I have joined that have great topics but don’t currently have anything scheduled.
Unless I note otherwise, any Club listed here is an Active Club.
If I’ve missed something you feel should be included, please feel free to leave a note in the comments or in a private message.
When you visit a Club to consider being a member, if Clubhouse has noted there is less than 1 meeting a week, there are no new meetings scheduled in their upcoming meeting carousel and there NO Replays on their page that means they haven’t been active since before November 11, 2021 when Replays started.
The same is applied to people on Clubhouse. If there are no Replays on their profile, they likely have not spoken on stage since before November 2021 OR they could only be doing rooms without replays.
Taste of Relevant Clubhouse Topics, Active Clubs and Rooms
StartUps
“Age-Friendly Product Alliance” formerly “Products for 50+”
Thursdays (noon ET) hosted by Rethinking Aging Club and led by Michael Phillips, Rick Robinson from AARP and Steve Ewell CTA Foundation (CES), co-mods include Frances West, Debbie Howard, Ilyse Veron, Keren Etkin and Benjamin Surmi.
Jan 20 2022 Replay Streaming Film Entertainment and Edutainment. Please click on image for replay:
Startup Club
“Founder Office Hours”: 30 minutes with Soumeya Benghanem and Susan Sierota Mondays and Wednesdays at 7am PDT
Intro to Startup Club & Clubhouse
MedStartr Healthcare Innovations Club
Interviews with HealthCare entrepreneurs by Michael Mann on Thursdays at 2pm PDT
Friday Pitches
Monday Startup School
Healthcare Startups Club
Weekly office hours Tuesday 8am PDT by Andrea Paul MD
DNA Tie Club
New inventions and businesses in biotechnology, life sciences. Kathrin Kajderowicz hosts the SynBio Journal room on Wednesdays at 7pm PDT
The Pitch Club
Female Founders Pitch Practice on Sundays at 11am PT
How to Pitch to VCs & Angel Investors
Founders Helping Founders
A16Z
Replay available. Official Club of Andreessen Horowitz.
“A16Z Bio” was one of the first Clubs on Clubhouse. Conversations with entrepreneurs engineering biology and reimagining healthcare. Recordings are available at a16z.com/a16z-live which is managed by Andreessen Horowitz VC.
(No room currently scheduled as of Dec 2021 check)
Wellness Club
Wellness Technology pop up shows with Jeremiah Owyang
THE FOLLOWING CLUBS IN THIS CATEGORY ARE CURRENTLY INACTIVE
Innovations in Aging Club
Co-founded and led by Stefano Selorio (This club is ABANDONED since several months before Dec 2021)
Medicine Redefined
No room currently scheduled at time of publishing nor Dec 2021
Femtech Focus Club
Led by Brittany Barreto PhD. (no room currently scheduled at time of publishing nor Dec 2021)
VC & Angel Investor Club
Founded by Ben Parr (no room currently scheduled)
Large Healthcare Clubs with Multiple Leaders and Topics including Venture Capitol
Medstartr Healthcare Innovations Club
Founded by Alex Fair
MedTech Club
Co-founded by Henry Peck
Includes Medtech 24/7 Lobby Club
Reinventing Health/Care Club
Founded by Ron Gutman, in the earlier days of Clubhouse there were pitch rooms here
Caregiving, Dementia and End of Life
Shifting the Culture of Caregiving Room; Find in Rethinking Aging Club, led by Debbie Howard
First Monday of each month at 1pm PT except for July 4 and Sept 5 which will move to the second Monday
Replays On.
Rethinking Aging Club Alliance to Create Age-friendly Products Thursdays 9am PT often touches on caregiving. Replays On.
I wrote this summary of our Nov 4th Caregiver Resources room
Memories Are So Yesterday Club
Founded by Susie Singer Carter, Mondays 2pm PST. Replays On.
End Well Club
Founded by Soshana Ungerleider MD
The Care Club
Sundays 11am PDT, Founder, Marcus Lucas with co-hosts Dr. Rizwan and Alka Sahnan
Aspiring MD’s
Aspiring MDS Club
Networking, mentoring, education and comforting space for anyone aspiring to be a medical professional
Virtual Grand Rounds Club
Genetics, Rare Diseases
The Gene Fixers Club led by Ethan Perlstein and Rohan Seth
Home Health Care
“California Clinicians Club”
Hosted by Adam Rubanenko and Doug Sullivan
Preventive Care and Integrative Medicine
“Preventive Care Now for Older Adults! room WAS at 1pm PT on Thursdays in the Medstartr Club led by Dave Dlesk, Marty Agather, often with Debbie Howard and myself. Marty on Dave are currently (Feb 2022) on a break.
Integrative Medicine Club
Dr. Atoosa Kourosh and Dr. Emi Kourosh Hosoda
Ageism
Aging Shamelessly Club led by actress and advocate Mariann Aalda
Health Care News
News News News Club 3 Minute News Health Edition, Mahek Shah is here
Biotech Clubhouse Club
Founded by Chris Garabedian VC, on Sundays at 1pm PDT
In the News Power Hour: Aging, Longevity and Ageism – Flip the Script After 50 Club – Wednesdays at 10:30am PDT. I was a moderator for this room. (Terri Holley put this on hiatus to the end of December 2021 and last I heard her talk in a room, it’s not coming back.)
Work and Money for 50+
Consumer Oriented Clubs for Women
Because there are many business clubs for women, I have filtered these choices by a focus on health care or science, or a founder that has been historically involved with aging or health care.
Flip the Script After 50 Club founded by Terri Holley
Biohacking Women 50+
Founder, Zora Benhamou (digital nomad) 30 minute daily meetings
Women Over 50 Lets Talk Menopause and Life After 50 Club
Second Act Sisters
Founder, Ms. Jack Perez
Women Over 50 You Can! Club
by Lenora Colarusso RN on Wednesdays at noon PDT
Women in Stem
Skin and Lips
Skin Enthusiast Club
Fun and Tools for Health Care Innovators
LetsMuuv Together & Scale Club Marketing – follow founder Laura Frank Barnard for her replays anywhere.
Product Adoption Rooms in the Rethinking Aging Club
I wrote this summary for our Creating Product Tutorials room.
Medstartr Healthcare Innovators “Fight Club”
Health N Communication Club
Founder, DrDan (Olu)
Marketing Club
Founder, Mark Prasad
“SEO Fundamentals” room on Tuesdays at 8am PT led by Rob Bertholf, who is also an administrator for the SEO Club.
Human Behavior Club
Founder, Sohaib Imtiaz
Talk Nerdy to Me Club
Co-founders Jin Yu (WolfxLion) and Amanda Johnstone
Currently on hiatus
Brain Health for Older Adults
Rethinking Aging does regular Brain and Body Health for Older Adults rooms.
I am on the lookout for active Alzheimers clubs. Feb 2022: Found Memories Are So Yesterday Club – in Caregiving section above.
Nursing
Nurses Connect Club
Cardiology
CardioTech Club
Wellness Architecture Design
Wellness Wednesdays Club by Jamie Gold
Upcoming Topics on Rethinking Aging
Eye Health for Older Adults
Dental Care for Older Adults
Senior Housing
There are clubs for every medical speciality.
UPDATES:
Clubhouse now has Pinned Links, optional captions, 30 second Clips, Replays, Reshares and web access for viewing.
Replays
At first you needed the Clubhouse app to play replays. Now you don’t because you can play a replay that is shared with you through social media or personally on the web although the features are much more limited when you listen from the web. Of course, it is usually more fun to participate in a live room but sometimes you just can’t get there. It also allows you to use Replays like podcasts to consume the one you want when you want it.
You can find Replays at the bottom of speaker profiles, on Club pages and in your hallway. Rethinking Aging Club almost always has Replays turned on now. The Replays feature began in the second half of November 2021. If you use event links to add rooms of interest to your Apple or Google calendar, those links will later become Replay links. Clubhouse also allows you to bookmark Replays of interest within the app to view later.
You can create shareable 30 second clips from a Replay.
Reshares / Share on Clubhouse
Reshares also called “Share on Clubhouse” are available while the room is live and allow you to share the room into the hallway with a comment. Clubhouse will group the shares for one room. You can also share the room link off of Clubhouse to social media etc.
30 Second Clips
This is an example of the 30 second clip posted January 20th for a Rethinking Aging Club room by Susie Singer Carter on LinkedIn. Note that there is a QR code that would take you to the live room or a Replay but it is not that easy to scan. So I recommend that when you post a clip, you include a link to the room event or the LinkedIn promo post that usually has more information about the room.
Web Access
Hopefully watching a room Replay through the web will entice non-members to join Clubhouse. It also allows content to be shared more widely which is a benefit to room creators. The founders have said they will continue to focus mainly on mobile for feature development.
Optional Captions
Captions improve the accessibility of Clubhouse.
