Bringing spark to twilight years 

Senior citizens in the city will soon be able to discuss various age-related issues and concerns at regular meet-ups.
Bringing spark to twilight years 

BENGALURU: Senior citizens in the city will soon be able to discuss various age-related issues and concerns at regular meet-ups. The Silver Surfers club and the senior community called CLAP (Celebrate Life Aging Positively), that work closely on the subject of positive and healthy aging, will be conducting a series of talks throughout the year in the city. These free open house discussions will address topics relevant to people in the age group of over 55 years.

The purpose of the events is to empower this generation with information they would otherwise not be able to find easily, since most seniors aren’t comfortable with using the internet, or live alone, often finding themselves at a loose end for advice. Keeping this in mind, the topics themselves are chosen by the community and the team invites an expert in the subject matter to address the gathering. Topics could vary from loneliness, depression and the importance of physical activity, to nutrition and employment for seniors. 

The series of programmes will begin on June 8, with physiotherapist Dr Sitaraman holding a 45-minute talk on the importance of physical fitness for seniors. The event will be held at Bangalore International Centre, Domlur. Concerns such as how much activity is too much and what kind of movements help will be discussed at the event. The talk will also focus on bone density, osteoporosis and how to take care of the spine, lower backbone, knees, and other joints.

“Earlier, under the joint family system, seniors got a lot of support and they, in turn, gave support to various members of the family as needed,” said Mavis Moraes, a 68-year-old member of the club, which was established in 2014 by Dipti Varma  Narain, a former corporate employee, to empower seniors and educate people to build a more inclusive community for them.

“They were generally involved in looking after their grandchildren and this kept them relatively active. As the scene has changed drastically, many seniors living on their own tend to be less active and lead a sedentary lifestyle. When this happens, they lose muscle strength and their bones become brittle, leading to falls and pain. They need to be made aware that they should exercise various body parts so as to remain mobile and active till the end of their days. This is where talks like these play an important role,” she added. 

Kong Waikam Somana, 69, another member of the club, also stressed upon the benefit of such events. “These talks are organised for the betterment of the senior community to make them aware in respect of taking good care of their physical and mental health. One should not be worried about growing old and becoming dependent on others. These talks are a good insight to knowing how one can deal with ageing well and healthy.”

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