Page 36 - Seniorstoday January 2024 Issue

The best place for such interactions would
impressed would be an understatement.
According to findings by McKinsey, since
older consumers have more leisure time,
they spend 25% extra time shopping per
dollar over their younger counterparts.
Believe it or not, Alibaba astutely leveraged
this insight, introducing an innovative
elderly mode on their Taobao shopping app
that simplifies information, enlarges fonts,
and integrates a built-in voice assistant.
With consumerism running rampant,
buying online has never been easier. Be it
grocery shopping or purchasing the latest
in silver jewelry, social media is the go-
to hub. And who fits the bill as the ideal
customer? None other than those with
disposal income. Enter you, aka our dear
seniors.
Share life experiences
Whether you celebrated 50 years of
marriage with the love of your life or ran
a 15km marathon after a lengthy recovery,
your young peers are all eyes and ears.
We yearn to know the trajectory of your
life so we can mold our own, picking up
invaluable lessons and a wagon full of
wisdom. Trust me, even a glimmer of
insight goes a long way in keeping us
afloat.
36
be social media! Flip that live-streaming
switch, drop a short video, throw up a
carousel of advice, and entice us with a
blink-or-you’ll-miss-it story. Seriously, just
about anything goes.
Dancing Dadi Ravi Bala Sharma tapping her feet to the
song What Jhumka. (Instagram/@ravi.bala.sharma)
For inspiration, head over to the following
Instagram handles—@ravi.bala.sharma
(graceful dancing dadi), @mr._and_
mrs._verma (couple goals at 70), and @
shyamsunder.official (senior fashion
model).
A word of caution
Once you start exploring this sprawling
space we call social media, it might initially
seem like a haven, yet nothing could be
further from the truth. As eager as you
might be to jump right in, it’s crucial to
grasp the fundamentals of online safety.
Here’s what you’ll want to do:
• Create strong passwords on every
platform
• Regularly update your passwords
• Do not share personal data like financial
details
• Steer clear of and report any fraudulent
activities
With the basics in place, you’re all
set. Social media is a playground of
opportunities for you to discover, and in
this lifetime, discover you must!