Alappuzha: People after a certain age withdraw into close quarters from their active life resulting in inactivity and lethargy. But what if there were groups or communities dedicated to encourage participation of older people? There happen to be one such intitiative in Kerala's Alappuzha now.

Seventy-seven-year-old L. Nanikuttyamma came to meet the group with a poem that she had written herself. She is not a writer. She was a primary school teacher. ‘I don’t have much knowledge of languages. However, let me recite a poem...’- she said.

Those who had been listening encouraged her, ‘Don’t hesitate to recite it...’. Nanikuttyamma recited the poem. The small group applauded loudly. Like Nanikuttyamma, others shared their dreams, desires, memories and more in the session.

There are a total of 18 people in the group including 80-year-old Ponnamma, Somasekharan Nair, 78-year-old C.K. Chandramathy, and 60-year-old Mini Anilkumar. 

This now marked the beginning of a conversational group of elderly people called ‘Talking Parlour’ in Alappuzha. The first meeting was at the house of Suresh in Panavel.

An organization called the Healthy Ageing Movement has started such a program because talking about old things helps in enhancing memory for elderly people. The program is led by Dr. B. Padmakumar, Principal of Kollam Paripally Medical College, and Chandradas Kesava Pillai, Coordinator.