An exotic Malabar trip, a midnight flea market, social media classes, Lebanese cooking workshops, waltz and jive lessons – sure sounds like the diary of an oh-so-happening teenager, but you’ll be surprised to learn that it’s actually the lifestyle of adults over 55 years of age, who are members of The Silver Surfers Club – and it’s all thanks to the efforts of Dipti Narain.
At an age when they can truly reap the benefits of experience and wisdom, the elderly are often not really able to live the life they would like to, due to a lack of opportunities or social connections. Consequently, they are thought of as inactive and unenergetic; the ‘silvers’ in Narain’s club, however, are anything but.
The very stylish-sounding The Silver Surfers Club (TSSC) was born from founder Dipti Narain’s affection for the elderly members of society. It was only after helping her mother-in-law turn her passion for making homemade jams and pickles into a business, that she realized that she wanted to help other senior citizens follow their passions too.
Talking about her idea behind starting TSSC, Narain says her goal is to change the general perception about old age. And by forming the club, she has succeeded in making the silver years look, sound and feel, fun! TSSC is the perfect platform for those aged 55 and over, who want to stay at their active best, make new friends, learn new skills, explore new places, share new experiences and express their joie de vivre. The club organizes many activities from Silver Karaoke to Silver Bazaars (where the silver surfers sell homemade products, from pickles to masalas) and travel getaways called ‘Silver Holidays’ too.
When asked how she feels about the way TSSC has touched the lives of so many people, Dipti says that there are many members of TSSC who tell her that they are grateful to her for the way their lives have changed, but it is actually she who is grateful to the members of TSSC for inspiring her to do more, and it is their zest for life that motivates her.
For more information on the club or about joining, click here and you can (try) to keep up with the young-spirited seniors’ activities on Facebook and Twitter .
Words by Pavi Sagar
