Loneliness is widespread among the elderly. They find themselves isolated because their children often stay away, say city groups for the elderly.
Bengaluru has various groups for the elderly to socialise, go on trips together, and learn new hobbies. Metrolife takes a look at these initiatives ahead of International Day for Older Persons, which falls on October 1.
Inter-city friendship
Silver Talkies Club brings the elderly together to engage in new activities and make friends. It is run by Silver Talkies, a social enterprise.
The Club has 300 members, of which, 70 per cent are from Bengaluru.
The Club follows a hybrid model. It hosts online sessions for skill building, digital and financial literacy, sharing travel stories, learning languages, and singing bhajans. Fitness classes are also held online.
In-person meetups are organised once a month across six cities — Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Mumbai, and Delhi-NCR. “We host lunch outings, movie screenings, theatre workshops, and even walks in Lalbagh,” says founder Nidhi Chawla.
Every year, the Club organises at least one international and four domestic trips. Members from across different parts of India sign up for these trips and travel together. “This format has helped develop inter-city friendships among the elderly,” shares Nidhi. The Club admits people aged 55 and above.
For details, visit silvertalkies.com
Movie screenings
Silver Surfers is a community of people between the ages of 50 and 80. It has 130 members currently. More than 80 per cent of them are from Bengaluru, says cofounder Dipti Varma Narain.
“Our focus is to combat loneliness among the senior citizens. Our activities are designed to engage their mind, body, and soul. We host multiple activities every month. These include sessions to learn languages like Spanish, a musical instrument, or a dance form. We also organise walks and breakfast outings,” she elaborates.
Once a month, they host ‘Spotlight Surfers’ where two members “talk about their journey in life”. In addition to this, there is a dedicated monthly meetup for the members to catch up and unwind.
The team also curates travel holidays. “Our members have travelled to Antarctica, Croatia, Japan, and Africa,” she adds.
They have partnered with a multiplex chain for special movie screenings. The initiative is called Silver Surfers’ Matinee Show and it will take off with the screening of Audrey Hepburn-starrer ‘Roman Holiday’ on October 1. “Even outsiders are welcome. The idea is for our members to spend time with like-minded people,” she says.
For details, visit thesilversurfersclub.in or @thesilversurfersclub on Instagram and X
Monthly entertainment
Malleswaram Elders Meet Team (MET) organises a two-hour programme for the elderly on the last Sunday of every month. They have organised magic shows, orchestra performances, plays and storytelling activities in the past.
Its founder Shaila Iyengar says, “The programme provides a chance for the elderly to dress up, come out, meet new people and talk to them, and even dance.”
It has around 500 members. But even non-members can attend these programmes, provided they are 60 and above. They also organise workshops. A class on lazy dance was a hit among the members, she recalls. This dance style involves minimal body movement and expressions.
Contact 93801 34288 for details
Job opportunities
Financial security for the elderly is one of the many focus areas of the Nightingales Medical Trust. “We run a programme called Job 60+. We identify elders who are looking for jobs, assess their skills, and connect them with potential employers. We also run a capacity building programme to teach them soft skills and even how to use the smartphone,” says its co-founder and secretary, Premkumar Raja.
Since “the elderly are more vulnerable to cybercrimes”, they also have a four-hour training programme on cybersecurity in place. They also run an ‘Active aging programme’ to teach cognitive and physical exercises. It is conducted online.
For details, call 080 42426565
Helpline for senior citizens
Nightingales has been running the Elder’s Helpline 1090 along with Bengaluru City Police since 2002. “We receive around 30 calls per day. The elderly complain about neglect and harassment at home. They seek help regarding property issues and financial fraud. They also report civic issues related to garbage disposal and loud music,” shares Premkumar.
You can call the toll-free number between 8 am and 8 pm.