Ep 14: Siddharth Kothari: At 19, he runs the Happy Folks Club for seniors

Ep 14: Siddharth Kothari: At 19, he runs the Happy Folks Club for seniors

After his 12th Boards, Siddharth Kothari decided to put together an event for senior citizens. That has now grown into the Happy Folks Club, a youth-led social enterprise with over 1400 active members in Bengaluru, and soon to launch in Chennai. The team, the 19-year-old founder & MD tells Gen Seasoned’s Anuradha Varma, comprises youngsters aged 16 to 22 years, with over 650 internships and 220 events organised since its inception in May 2024.  Listen in as he talks about bridging the generation gap, familiarising seniors with Gen Z lingo, running the Suvidha helpline and the Dosti service, where seniors can book a walking buddy, companion for teatime, tech coach, and more. The young entrepreneur and BBA student, who believes in the power of delegation and having systems in place, also talks about plans for his future and the aim to impact one lakh senior citizens. Call the Happy Folks Suvidha helpline: +91 80504 54886 Follow: Website [http://www.happyfolksclub.com] | LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthmkothari/] | Instagram [http://www.instagram.com/happyfolksclub/] Timestamps: 01:12 About Happy Folks Club, run entirely by the youth 02:50 The Swatantra School – seven Sundays, seven skills 04:56 Team ranges from 16 to 22 06:58 How Happy Folks Club started 09:10 Age group of seniors involved 11:43 What the generation gap looks like 13:00 Teaching seniors Gen Z lingo 14:30 “Hamaare zamane mein”; then and now 17:08 Organisational structure of Happy Folks Club; quality assurance 19:00 Started as a group of 10 friends 21:50 The Suvidha helpline 25:00 The Dosti service - walking buddies, teatime companions, etc 29:00 Profile of seniors, what they’re looking for 30:00 Siddharth’s aim to be portfolio entrepreneur; time for hobbies 32:50 Services for brands 34:43 Scope for agetech 36:25 Aim to impact one lakh senior citizens through Happy Folks Club  To get in touch, email genseasoned@gmail.com Disclaimer: Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

Ep 13: Dr. Saigita Chitturu: TISS Diploma in Gerontology is creating ‘agepreneurs’

As we aim to live longer and better, there is immense scope for “agepreneurs” or “elderpreneurs”. Dr Saigita Chitturu, Assistant Professor,Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai talks to Gen Seasoned host Anuradha Varma about the one-year Diploma in Gerontology via its Centre for Lifelong Learning, focussing on interdisciplinary care for the elderly.  Open to adults over 25, with special consideration for those over 55, the course provides a comprehensive understanding of ageing, blending perspectives from sociology, psychology, anthropology, social work, education, and economics.  Listen in as she talks about the diverse group of learners, including 80-year-olds, the need for sensitivity as we transition into the senior years, avenues post-retirement, and celebrating ageing. She also talks about the immense scope of the silver economy, which can cater to healthcare, disability, companionships, second marriages, infrastructure, community living, AI training, financial literacy, and more. Follow Dr Saigita Chitturu: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/saigita-chitturu-49959a241/]  Check out: TISS Diploma in Gerontology [https://admissions.tiss.ac.in/view/10/admissions/stp-admissions/diploma-in-gerontology/]  Timestamps: 02:00 About TISS and the diploma in Gerontology 05:47 Debunk notion that adults can’t learn 06;40 Students up to 80 years of age; every batch has a student over 60 and below 80 08:43 We discuss changes during adolescence but not not what happens after 50 11:35 What the course covers 14:03 Mandatory field work component in the course 16:46 Longevity conversations in focus 17:55 Ageing needs a lifespan approach 19:41 Feminisation of ageing 22:45 Socialisation is important for seniors 24:53 “What do I do now?” Learning to accept ageing 27:26 Course is helpful for entrepreneurs 29:32 Scope in gerontology - healthcare to AI training and financial literacy   32:34 Contribute in society to do away with loneliness 34:40 Policy implementation 36:00 Graduates of the course Get in touch at genseasoned@gmail.com Disclaimer: Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

Ep 12: Sailesh Mishra, Founder President, Silver Innings: Ageing is an opportunity, start planning in your 40s

Ageing is an opportunity to find new purpose, says Sailesh Mishra, Founder President of Silver Innings Group, Dementia Master Trainer  and Social Gerontologist. Active in the field of senior care for almost two decades, he also runs A1 Snehanjali, Mumbai’s first 24x7 assisted living elder care home located in Nalasopara.  Using his marketing experience, he used social media early on to craft a positive narrative around ageing. Listen in as he talks to Gen Seasoned host Anuradha Varma about how the conversation has shifted from merely care to seeking unique experiences for a free-spirited silver generation, the importance of upskilling and building lasting social connections as one ages. He also challenges all of us — young and old — to stop treating ageing as something that happens to us, and start preparing for it in our 40s, the way we would plan a financial SIP.  He also highlights the urgent need for gerontology education in India, building a more age-inclusive society, and explains why the senior sector is poised to become the next big thing after the IT industry.  Check out Sailesh Mishra on: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/saileshmishra65/] | Website [https://www.linkedin.com/redir/redirect/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsilverinnings.in%2F&urlhash=5jXH&isSdui=true]  Book by Silver Innings: “Remember Me: You, Me & Dementia” [https://www.amazon.in/Remember-Me-You-Dementia/dp/9385221051] For more info, email genseasoned@gmail.com Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised.

Ep 11: Asheesh Gupta, Samarth: Do your parents need a care manager?

“Don’t wait for an emergency to provide support for your elderly parents,” says Asheesh Gupta [http://www.linkedin.com/in/asheesh-gupta-5866a33/], Founder and Managing Director of Samarth Care, India’s leading eldercare organisation, serving over 30,000 senior citizens across the country and catering to the Indian diaspora across 33 countries. The Gurgaon-based founder talks about his 600-strong team of care managers who anchor teams that provide a bouquet of services to the designated seniors in their care, from paying bills to helping move houses, and coordinating emergency care. He also talks about the importance of community, creating purpose, and what seniors need, including healthcare and beyond, which is largely “people to talk to, places to go to, and be needed.” Website: https://samarth.community/ [https://samarth.community/] Timestamps: 01:52 A decade of Samarth, still feels like a startup 05:27 Samarth’s services - community, engagement, care, clinics for healthy ageing 12:15 Building trust with the senior community; care managers 13:53 Care managers across 350 cities 17:46 Requests handled by care managers, from checking paying bills to moving houses 19:11 Six key pillars, from emergency support to healthcare, safety and security, concierge and companionship 23:10 Service demands across India 26:28 From childcare to parent care for companies 28:26 Mindset shift to caregiving 30:05 Don’t expect parents to ask for support 34:05 Great time to be in the agetech, longevity industry 39:00 Misconceptions around seniors 43:20 What elderly parents need; act early, don’t wait for an emergency Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised. For more, email genseasoned@gmail.com

Ep 10: Healthspan vs lifespan & Longevity India’s BHARAT Study: Prof. Deepak Saini, IISc

Dr Deepak Saini, Professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and Convenor, Longevity India describes Longevity India’s ambitious BHARAT Study, which stands for Biomarkers for Healthy Aging, Resilience, Adversity and Transitions, collecting blood samples from Indians aged 18 to beyond 100.  Listen in as he talks to Gen Seasoned co-founder Anuradha Varma about why it’s important to build India's first comprehensive ageing database to understand ageing patterns unique to our population, ICMR collaboration for specific organ-level studies, work on the “G-protein” at the SAInI lab, and trends in longevity. Follow Dr Saini: LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/deepakksaini/] | Longevity India’s BHARAT Study [http://www.longevity.iisc.ac.in/the-bharat-study] Timestamps: 02:00 The BHARAT study 04:40 Example of Western vs Indian physiology 07:03 Status of the BHARAT study 10:05 ICMR collaboration and organ-specific ageing models 12:51 Do multivitamins work? No clear answers 13:55 Where Western data stands 15:32 The G-protein and the Saini Lab 18:57 Why we need to talk about longevity 20:12 About Longevity India 23:08 What’s needed at the policy level 24:35 trends in the longevity space 27:15 Longevity industry is at an inflection point Views are personal. Listener discretion is advised. For more, email genseasoned@gmail.com