It is often a notion that older people are wiser but weaker, but that no longer stands true. In this day and age of smaller and more independent families, if the young have found their voice and space, so have the elderly. This may not be true for all sections of society but the growing trend of more and more elderly people recognizing their worth and reinventing themselves post the big 60 is unignorable. And being tech-savvy, open-minded and purposeful is the only way ahead.
On this day of recognizing, valuing, and encouraging the elderly, we bring to you stories of strength and sustenance in the new-age social world.
Mother with a sign
Poonam Sapra is 65 and can be often found on social media with warm greetings and valuable advice for the younger lot. Famously known as Mother with a sign, she lives in Delhi and her account is managed by her son Pranav Sapra. However, she is known to be equally tech-savvy and has a Pinterest account with a worthy list of followers.
"She's a super optimistic person in real life too so it all comes naturally to her. Now we've started spending our time together thinking of a few lines where I'm mostly just making it crisper while she gives me a mini-lecture. You know how moms love to give lectures," Pranav told Indian Express last year. The account currently has a followership of 1,53,000 and provides everything from dating advice to how to be around parents.
Painter and beyond!
Manjari Varde, who was introduced to the social media world as actor Sameera Reddy's mother-in-law, soon built her own fan following with her Sassy Sasu image, artistic creations and zest for life. A painter by profession, she rules the social media world by breaking the stereotypical image of an aging woman with nearly 1,14,000 followers. At 65, she paints, dances, dresses up to please none but herself, imparting a valuable lesson for many.
The Dancing Dadi
Ravi Bala Sharma, popularly known as Dancing Dadi on social media played multiple roles throughout her life, of a daughter, a wife, a mother and a teacher. "I was never able to find time for my hobbies in the grind of everyday life. However, I wanted to follow my heart after retirement," she stated in a post adding, "I wanted to keep myself both physically and mentally fit. Therefore, I started considering the idea of becoming a dancer!"
At 63, she has taken on the social world to promote the idea that age is indeed just a number. With an Instagram followership of 1,55,000, she is not just fulfilling her own dream but also inspiring fellow women her age, to pull up their socks and make fitness a priority.
